My Body is My Own: Claiming the Right to Autonomy and Self-determination
Many women and girls in the world can make autonomous decisions about their own bodies, but many more still face constraints, some with devastating consequences for their health, well-being, and potential. The lack of bodily autonomy potentially depresses economic productivity, undercuts skills, and results in extra costs to health care and judicial systems. This UNFPA State of World Population report looks at women’s power to make their own decisions about their bodies and the extent to which national laws support or frustrate that right. Nearly half of women in 57 developing countries are denied the right to decide whether to have sex with their partners, use contraception or seek health care. The root cause of the problem is gender discrimination, which reflects and sustains patriarchal systems of power and spawns gender inequality and disempowerment.
A Virtual Event with Canadian and Global Feminists and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Advocates.
Please join us for the launch of the United Nations Population Fund’s 2021 State of World Population report. The event will highlight the critical role of feminist movements in advancing bodily autonomy and sexual and reproductive health and rights in Canada and globally.
With remarks from the Honourable Karina Gould, Minister of International Development and Dr. Natalia Kanem, Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund.
Register here.