UNFPA declares new call to action to curtail growing global pushback on women’s body autonomy

RWANDA— The Women Deliver 2023, WD2023 conference that just concluded in Kigali, has been celebrated globally for delivering impetus for various women and girls’ issues, culminating into the Kigali Call to Action.

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) sponsored the Kigali Call to Action: United for Women and Girls’ Bodily Autonomy.

As the leading global advocate for sexual and reproductive health and rights, UNFPA recognized the fundamental importance of bodily autonomy in achieving gender equality.

UNFPA moreover insisted that societies thrive when women and girls have the freedom to make decisions about their own bodies and lives.

The UNFPA-led event at the WD2023 highlighted the vital role of women-led organizations and the feminist movement in shaping the dialogue and finding solutions.

The Call to Action was led by Dr. Natalia Kanem, UNFPA Executive Director, H.E. Jeannette Kagame, First Lady of Rwanda, H.E. Harjit Sajjan, Minister of International Development in Canada, leaders, and partners from the Action Coalition on Bodily Autonomy and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, and other stakeholders, including young activists and feminist organizations.

UNFPA insists that accelerated and collective action are the main aims of the call to action, which has 60 signatories and counting.

Dr. Kanem, UNFPA Executive Director said, “Bodily autonomy is non-negotiable. It is about choices, rights, and the power of women and girls to decide over their own body. UNFPA is calling for coordinated and collective action to achieve bodily autonomy, reproductive rights, and gender equality well in time for 2030.”

UNFPA stands firm in its conviction that the international community should support, partner, and engage with women-led organizations and the feminist movement, to ensure sexual and reproductive health and rights are promoted and upheld for women and girls everywhere.

Getting to the heart of issues underlying the new call to action

UNFPA states that the world is not on track to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 5 (SDG5) by 2023.

Instead, UNFPA notes with a lot of concern that there is a global pushback on women’s rights, sexual and reproductive health, and rights (SRHR), and gender equality.

Moreover, the global pushback, driven by a well-coordinated transnational anti-gender movement is placing the hard-fought gains on gender equality and women’s rights, including reproductive rights, under threat.

It is hampering negotiations in intergovernmental spaces, leading to declining investments, regressive laws, rising conservatism, harmful technology, and climate change, which are factors further compounding the gender equality and reproductive health and rights crisis.

According to recent data from 68 countries reporting on SDG indicator 5.6.1, 44 percent of partnered women worldwide still cannot make their own choices about their reproductive health, use of contraception, and ability to say no to sex.

Violations and limitations of women and girls’ bodily autonomy range from a lack of choice which can lead to unintended pregnancies, to laws that restrict women and girls’ ability to exercise their reproductive rights, and abortion being criminalized or not accessible despite being legal.

WD2023 mapping a new course to achieve women’s and girls’ right

“When women and girls are supported with funding and the right resources, they have the potential to challenge harmful norms, push for institutional and legislative reforms, and transform their communities,” explained Dr. Maliha Khan, President and CEO of Women Deliver.

Over five days, WD2023 led meaningful discourse on what the global leadership needs to do for women and girls globally.

“We must now act to secure their bodily autonomy and sexual and reproductive health and rights,” insisted the WD2023 lead.

In closing, Dr. Khan emphasized there was still so much work to do, there are so many issues to address, and there are so many barriers still in the way of women and girls achieving their full potential and the only way to achieve the new discussed objectives is through collective efforts.

“We hope that Women Deliver has planted the seed to strengthen our solidarity and unity now, and long into the future,” Dr. Khan closed.

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