Thread by @ReproRights

#VICTORY: The Inter-American Court of Human Rights has just ruled to protect schoolgirls from sexual violence in Latin America in our case with @CepamGuayaquil, Paola Guzman Albarracin v. Ecuador! #JusticiaPorPaola

This historic ruling comes 18 years after Paola, then a 16-year-old student, took her own life after suffering repeated sexual abuse from her school’s vice-principal. #JusticiaPorPaola

The @IACourtHR found that Paola’s continuous abuse caused extreme suffering, and in turn led to her death by suicide.

The ruling holds Ecuador responsible for failing to protect Paola from sexual violence, denying her necessary medical care, and delaying criminal proceedings. Ecuador breached her right to life. #JusticiaPorPaola

Effective IMMEDIATELY, Ecuador is now required to prevent and monitor sexual harassment within schools, as outlined in the @IACourtHR's decision. #JusticiaPorPaola

As the Court’s first case on violence in school settings, it *also* sets standards requiring the countries under the @IACourtHR to provide sex-ed to students, protect them from predatory authority figures, and safeguard them from sexual violence. #JusticiaPorPaola

Today, we are proud to say that we have helped find #JusticiaPorPaola and helped create new standards that guarantee girls’ sexual and reproductive rights throughout Latin America. This is just the beginning.