Anti-rights push is threatening to reverse gains made in gender equality
"We're also facing resistance on efforts to push forward human rights and gender equality. I do not want to say 'push back' anymore, I want to talk about 'push forward' now. And I think the more we put our energy and our efforts into designing and defining what a push forward strategy looks like the less power we give to the push back. The push back is threatening to roll back progress on bodily autonomy, sexual and reproductive health and rights, comprehensive sexuality education, and protection from gender-based violence. There is more hope now. For example, there are so many networks of indigenous women who are leading the charge for environmental justice and recognising its deep connection to sexual and reproductive health and bodily autonomy. There are so many young people passionately campaigning for climate justice and linking it directly to sexual and reproductive justice. We have the power of cross movements. The silo approach has never worked, and it will not work this time too," shares Dawn Minott.
We need to amplify these diverse voices and recognise that sexual and reproductive health, rights and justice is fundamentally intertwined with the broader fight for social justice.
Every US$ 1 invested in maternal health has a return on investment of $ 8.40
We also need to resist polarisation. "We need to ensure that the health system is held accountable for upholding bodily autonomy and advancing sexual and reproductive health, rights and justice. This demands a fundamental shift in resourcing sexual and reproductive health, rights and justice," said Dawn.
"We need to put our monies in the places where the needs are greatest. Investing in sexual and reproductive health, rights and justice is a powerful driver of progress. UNFPA estimation shows that return on investing every dollar in family planning and maternal health in developing countries is US$ 8.40. Currently, health financing is inadequate. In 2022 less than 1% of global aid went to stopping gender-based violence. Only 1% of health research focussed on non-oncology female-specific conditions. So, we must prioritize sexual and reproductive health and rights in health budgets, explore innovative financing and direct more resources to women-led and feminist organisations," she said.
Shobha Shukla - CNS (Citizen News Service)
(Shobha Shukla is the award-winning founding Managing Editor and Executive Director of CNS and is a feminist, health and development justice advocate. She is a former senior Physics faculty of prestigious Loreto Convent College and current Coordinator of Asia Pacific Regional Media Alliance for Health and Development (APCAT Media) and Chairperson of Global AMR Media Alliance (GAMA - winner of 2024 AMR One Health Emerging Leaders and Outstanding Talents Award). She also coordinates SHE & Rights Media Initiative (Sexual health with equity and rights). Follow her on Twitter @shobha1shukla or read her writings here www.bit.ly/ShobhaShukla)
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