# The right to science in sexual and reproductive health and the legal status of the human embryo

## TL;DR

This paper argues for the right to science in reproductive health and clarifies the legal status of embryos based on scientific and human rights perspectives.

## Contribution

The paper provides a legal and scientific rationale for treating embryos as biological material rather than human persons.

## Key findings

- Scientific evidence supports embryos as biological material, not human persons.
- International human rights law aligns with this view in protecting reproductive health.
- The right to science is essential in sexual and reproductive health discussions.

## Abstract

Through the examination of scientific evidence related to human embryo development, the aim of this commentary is to support the right to science in sexual and reproductive health, to outline why science supports a legal approach to embryos as the biological material of human life but not as human persons, and to recognise that international human rights law adopts this approach in the protection of sexual and reproductive health and rights.