The past three decades have brought seismic shifts in the achievement of human rights, especially sexual and reproductive health and rights. Yet there is a long road ahead.
In 1994, global leaders at the landmark International Conference on Population and Development coalesced around an indisputable truth: The fulfilment of human rights, particularly for women and girls, is integral to inclusive and sustainable development.
Since then, countries around the world have made efforts to guarantee bodily autonomy, promote gender equality and change norms and laws to counter gender-based violence. But serious barriers to progress remain, including our failure to protect women and girls from abuse and violations of their sexual and reproductive health and rights.
With this in mind, the theme for Human Rights Day this year is: “Our rights, our future, right now.”
Violations of the right to bodily autonomy are evident in the fact that in 2023, a quarter of women across 68 countries were unable to say no to sex. The same year saw 85,000 women and girls murdered worldwide, with the majority killed by an intimate partner or family member. Violence against women is pervasive in all spaces, including digital ones.
The international community must take accountability for the rampant violence that endangers women and girls – and transform accountability into action. Countries must strengthen legal frameworks, data collection and monitoring, in addition to addressing root causes and empowering survivors. World leaders must also invest in both the protection and the rights of women and girls, especially the right to bodily autonomy.
To aid in global progress, UNFPA has launched an online interactive tool to support government officials, health professionals, civil society organizations, human rights advocates, United Nations staff and anyone else committed to ensuring a rights-based approach to sexual and reproductive health and rights as part of universal health coverage.
Achieving rights for all means empowering women and girls – half of the world’s population – with agency over their bodies and lives. Only by making this a priority today can we expect to build a peaceful and prosperous tomorrow.
