World Population Report 2021: UNFPA

In News

Recently, the United Nations Population Fund’s (UNFPA) has released its flagship State of World Population Report 2021.

About the Report

• The State of World Population report is UNFPA’s annual flagship publication.
• It has been published yearly since 1978.
• It shines a light on emerging issues in the field of sexual and reproductive health and rights, bringing them into the mainstream and exploring the challenges and opportunities they present for international development.
• For 2021, it has been titled ‘My Body is My Own’.
  • This is the first time a UN report has focused on bodily autonomy.
  • Through this ground-breaking report, women’s power to make their own decisions about their bodies is measured and the extent to which the laws of the countries support or interfere with a woman’s right to make these decisions.
  • It shows a strong link between decision-making power and higher levels of education.

Bodily Autonomy

• It is defined as the power and agency to make choices about one’s body without fear of violence or having someone else decide for oneself.
• Examples of violation of bodily autonomy include, child marriage, female genital mutilation, a lack of contraceptive choices leading to unplanned pregnancy, unwanted sex exchanged for a home and food or when people with diverse sexual orientations and gender identities cannot walk down a street without fearing assault or humiliation.
• Under its ambit, also fall people with disabilities stripped of their rights to self-determination, to be free from violence and to enjoy a safe and satisfying sexual life.
• A serious lack of bodily autonomy has had far-reaching implications much beyond the profound harm to individual women and girls that include potentially depressing economic productivity, undercutting skills, and extra costs to healthcare and judicial systems.
• The denial of bodily autonomy is a violation of women and girls’ fundamental human rights that reinforces inequalities and perpetuates violence arising from gender discrimination
• Realising bodily autonomy is essential to achieving the UNFPA’s goals of ending the global unmet need for contraception, preventable maternal deaths, gender-based violence and harmful practices by 2030.

Findings

• Nearly half the women from 57 developing countries have no right to make decisions regarding their bodies, including using contraception, seeking healthcare or even on their sexuality.
• The report shows that in countries where data is available:
  • Only 55 per cent of women are fully empowered to make choices over health care, contraception and the ability to say yes or no to sex.
  • Only 71 per cent of countries guarantee access to overall maternity care.
  • Only 75 per cent of countries legally ensure full, equal access to contraception.
  • Only about 80 per cent of countries have laws supporting sexual health and well-being.
  • Only about 56 per cent of countries have laws and policies supporting comprehensive sexuality education.
• It also documents many other ways that the bodily autonomy of women, men, girls and boys is violated, revealing that:
  • Twenty countries or territories have “marry-your-rapist” laws, where a man can escape criminal prosecution if he marries the woman or girl he has raped.
  • Forty-three countries have no legislation addressing the issue of marital rape (rape by a spouse).
  • More than 30 countries restrict women’s right to move around outside the home.
  • Girls and boys with disabilities are nearly three times more likely to be subjected to sexual violence, with girls at the greatest risk.
• Women around the world are denied the fundamental right of bodily autonomy with the Covid-19 pandemic further exacerbating this situation.
• Data in Indian Context
  • In India, according to the National Family Health Survey-4 (NFHS-4) 2015-2016, only about 12 per cent of currently married women (15-49 years of age) independently make decisions about their own healthcare, while 63 per cent decide in consultation with their spouse.
  • For a quarter of women (23 per cent), it is the spouse that mainly takes decisions about healthcare.
  • Only 8 per cent of currently married women (15-49 years) take decisions on the use of contraception independently, while 83 per cent decide jointly with their spouse.
  • Information provided to women about use of contraception is also limited, only 47 per cent women using a contraceptive were informed about the side effects of the method and 54 per cent women were provided information about other contraceptives.

• Efforts to address abuses can lead to further violations of bodily autonomy.
  • For example, to prosecute a case of rape, a criminal justice system might require a survivor to undergo an invasive so-called virginity test.

Suggestions

• Women should be endowed with the power to say yes, the right to say no.
  • A woman who has control over her body is more likely to be empowered in other spheres of her life and she is more likely to thrive, and so is her family.
• Real solutions must take into account the needs and experiences of those affected.
  • In Mongolia, for example, persons with disabilities organized to give direct input to the government about their sexual and reproductive health needs.
  • In Angola, young people educated about their bodies, health and rights have been able to seek health care, use family planning, decline sex and petition for justice after sexual violence.

• It is the time to recognize and realize bodily autonomy for all.
  • Only when the world’s most vulnerable are able to make informed choices about their bodies, health and future will other people be able to realize the full potential of all individuals, families, communities and nations.
• People need to uproot gender inequality and all forms of discrimination, and transform the social and economic structures.
• Through the new international Action Coalition on Bodily Autonomy and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, UNFPA is championing access to contraception and comprehensive sexuality education and promoting measures that will empower women and adolescents to make autonomous decisions about their own bodies.

Source: TH