President Higgins hits out at lack of fertility rights for women

President Michael D Higgins has criticised the fact that in some countries women have no rights to control their own fertility.

He was speaking at the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul yesterday during a roundtable discussion entitled Women and girls — catalysing action to achieve gender equality.

“At this moment, rape continues to be persistently used and has increased as a weapon of war; shameful rates of maternal and infant malnutrition persist in many countries; in others, women have no rights or means to control their own fertility,” said Mr Higgins.