- Home
- World
- News
- UN human rights chief says women’s sexual and reproductive rights an ‘unfinished agenda’
UN Human Rights Chief Says Women’s Sexual And Reproductive Rights An ‘unfinished Agenda’
Sumaira FH Published October 19, 2023 | 11:33 PM
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk Thursday called for progress on the ‘unfinished agenda’ of women’s sexual and reproductive health rights at an event in Geneva to mark the 30th anniversary of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD)
UNITED NATIONS, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 19th Oct, 2023) UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk Thursday called for progress on the ‘unfinished agenda’ of women’s sexual and reproductive health rights at an event in Geneva to mark the 30th anniversary of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD).
Former Prime Minister, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto, was among the world leaders who attended that watershed conference, held in Cairo. It adopted a Programme of Action promising that women and girls must have the power to make decisions about their own lives, their bodies and their futures.
In a statement issued in Geneva, Turk commended the “leaps” made during the past three decades which include a reduction in deaths during pregnancy, and “substantial investments” in healthcare, education and social services. Many people are also living longer, healthier lives.
“But this is an unfinished agenda,” he said. “Alongside the progress, we have seen regression.”
Turk pointed to “patchy implementation” of the principles laid out in the Programme of Action in many parts of the world.“Gender equality backlash is spreading, denying women and girls autonomy, the capacity to choose their futures or their roles within families and households, and silencing their voices,” he said.
“Toxic masculinity – and misogyny – have inflamed and normalized hate.” Additionally, COVID-19, conflict and economic downturns have also disproportionately affected women and girls. Meanwhile, “babies don’t stop being born during conflict or disaster, and people still get pregnant.
”Today, roughly 50,000 women are pregnant in Gaza, where health services are currently under attack it was pointed out.
"The earthquake in western Afghanistan this month has rendered pregnant women there even more vulnerable, while women and girls in Ukraine still need access to life-saving sexual and reproductive health services.
"Furthermore, in 68 countries, an estimated 44 per cent of women who are married or partnered do not have the ability to make their own decisions on sexual relations, use of contraceptives, and healthcare.
“Women’s right to decide - free of discrimination, coercion and violence - if and when to have children, how many and with whom, needs to be guaranteed,” he said.
“This is all the more the case as progress on maternal mortality has stagnated in the last decade. Every two minutes, a woman will die due to complications in pregnancy and childbirth.”
He remarked that “perhaps nowhere is a woman’s autonomy and ability to make her own choices about her body and life more hotly contested than when she seeks to access safe abortion services.”
Roughly 33 million unsafe abortions are conducted globally each year, he said, and it is one of the leading causes of maternal mortality. He welcomed action by many countries in the last five years to liberalize legislation, whether through decriminalization, expanding legal grounds for it, or removing access barriers.
Turk said human rights reversals of all kinds are accelerating around the globe, putting countries off track to achieve sustainable development and the ICPD Programme of Action, but it is not too late to course correct.
His office is working with States to bolster their efforts towards “a human rights economy”, which puts people and the planet at the heart of all policies, plans and programmes.
“To change lives, and to save lives, we need to ensure the fundamentals promised in Cairo thirty years ago are upheld – for all women and girls, no matter their age, their migration status, or any other factor,” he said.
He outlined what they need, namely comprehensive sexuality education; access to modern forms of contraception, including emergency contraception; access to quality sexual and reproductive health services, including safe and timely abortion services and maternal and newborn care, and the freedom to make their own choices.
APP/ift
Related Topics
Recent Stories
European stocks drop after French election
Hurricane Beryl hammers Texas coast with flooding, winds
Privatization of DISCOs, utilization of local coal to help address energy issues ..
Balochistan Awami Party delegation calls on PM
7 sui gas connections disconnected
Tribunal seeks affidavits from winning candidates of capital's constituencies
Govt committed to economic revival, public welfare: Ranjha
Tube wells' solarization in Balochistan to revamp agriculture: Governor
BISE Bahawalpur announces Matric position holders
Delegation of National Party calls on PM Shehbaz
AJK President, PM pay tributes to Burhani Wani on his 8th Martyrdom anniversary
28,000 tube wells in Balochistan to be converted on solar power: Prime Minister ..
More Stories From World
-
Hurricane Beryl hammers Texas coast with flooding, winds
7 minutes ago -
Rwandan troops fought alongside M23 rebels in DR Congo: UN experts
1 hour ago -
Pak-China Joint Lab for AI to intelligentize Pakistan's agriculture
2 hours ago -
Biden throws down gauntlet to Democrats in crucial week
1 hour ago -
Palestinians flee battles as mediators push for truce deal
1 hour ago -
DR Congo military court sentences 22 soldiers to death
2 hours ago
-
French airport worker unions call for strike week before Paris Olympics
1 hour ago -
Texas braces as Hurricane Beryl hits coast
1 hour ago -
European stocks, euro bounce back after French election
2 hours ago -
UN says strongly condemns Russian strikes across Ukraine
3 hours ago -
Kenya starvation cult leader goes on trial on terrorism charges
3 hours ago -
Senior Diplomats pay a Get-acquainted visit to the “Imagine Monet” area within the Jeddah Season ..
4 hours ago