Women’s Month 2023: #SRHR4All is essential to gender equality!
In the backdrop of an ever-changing world and the COVID-19 pandemic, digital information, communication and technology is supposed to be a tool for collaboration and societal transformation. But while more people worldwide utilize mobile and ICT tools than clean water and energy, women and girls are being left behind because of unfavorable conditions pertaining to their gender roles, employment, education, and income.
The Women’s Global Network for Reproductive Rights (WGNRR) is a global network that connects and strengthens movements for Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) and justice. SRHR is an essential part of all people’s human rights. It is also recognized as central to development efforts towards gender equality, good health and well-being, and a critical element of sustainable development and inclusive growth.
So when tackling SRHR, it must be understood and recognized that: SRHR is an important part of all people’s human rights and development; it is inextricably linked to social justice issues such as poverty and climate crisis, among others; and a crucial part to the fulfillment of universal health coverage. It further illustrates in this recent data by the Guttmacher Institute how the lack of access to SRH services puts a big percentage of people at risk. Each year in low- and middle-income countries, 35 million women have abortions in unsafe conditions, 13 million women have newborns who do not receive needed care for major complications and 299,000 women die from causes related to pregnancy and childbirth (Sadinsky, Guttmacher Institute, 2021). In this light, investing in and democratizing tools and resources such as innovation and technology to support effective information dissemination and access to quality, equitable healthcare is imperative to preventing deaths from unsafe abortion and maternal deaths. Closing the widening gap in access to information and digital opportunities to help women and girls in all their diversity make informed and safe choices for their health and well-being is not only urgent but life-saving.
To reiterate, SRHR is key to empower women and girls in claiming and upholding their rights; therefore, the social and economic gaps that hinders the full realization of their sexual and reproductive rights must be addressed through government accountability, including access to innovation and technological opportunities.