NEW YORK - 14 April 2021 - The UNFPA released its annual flagship State of World Population report. For the first time, this report focuses on bodily autonomy, which is defined as the power and agency to make choices, without fear of violence or having someone else decide for you. In this new report, UNFPA measures both the power of women to make their own decisions about their bodies and the extent to which countries' laws support or hinder women's right to make those decisions.
The report shows that almost half of women in 57 developing countries are denied the right to decide whether and when to have sex with their partner, use contraceptives or seek health care. Other violations include rape, forced sterilisation, virginity tests and female genital mutilation.
“The fact that nearly half of women still cannot make their own decisions about whether or not to have sex, use contraception or seek health care should outrage us all, in essence, hundreds of millions of women and girls do not own their own bodies. Their lives are governed by others.” says UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Natalia Kanem.
The lack of bodily autonomy has massive implications beyond the profound harms to individual women and girls: potentially depressing economic productivity, undercutting skills, and resulting in extra costs to health care and judicial systems. The data also shows a strong link between decision-making power and higher levels of education.
The report shows that in countries where data are 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.
Access the UNFPA State of World Population report, My body is my own: Claiming the right to autonomy and self-determination, and coverage below: