Achieving Women’s Rights Requires a Global Political Commitment and Action From Governments and International Partners
Women’s rights are the rights and entitlements that all women and girls should have to enjoy equal protection under the law. They are a central tenet of feminism, the belief that gender equality is essential to social and economic development.
Every woman and girl should be able to make their own choices about their sexuality, family planning, and reproductive health. This includes the right to access health services like contraception, safe abortions, and family planning; to marry when and with whom they want to; and to have a child in a way that meets their needs and protects them from violence.
Achieving these rights requires a global political commitment, as well as action from governments and their international partners. These efforts must be focused on eliminating gender discrimination and violence against women.
Gender-based violence is the systematic use of power and control over a person or group of people to violate their human rights. It is a worldwide problem, and a major contributor to conflict.
Even in countries that have made great progress on women’s rights, there are still some glaring gaps. For example, there is still no end to the widespread practice of female genital mutilation (FGM) and many countries do not have laws against marital rape or child marriage.
There are also a lot of barriers to women’s access to land, which is the basis of their livelihoods and well-being. Despite international support and commitments, laws and social norms that impose barriers to women’s land rights persist in many countries. This makes it difficult for them to own and control their own land, or to rent it when they need it for a home, work, or other purposes.
While achieving these rights requires a global political commitment, it is also important to ensure that women have the resources they need. This means ensuring that women and girls have access to health care, education, jobs, income, housing, and economic security.
In addition, access to finance and digital technology are vital to empowering women and boosting their economic independence. A study by the Global Fund found that women who are in leadership roles and participate in the labor force have significantly higher rates of financial inclusion than those who are not.
The Global Fund supports national and international initiatives that increase access to and demand for finance and digital technologies. The fund provides loans, grants, and other assistance to help countries access the tools they need to meet their economic goals.
It also encourages countries to invest in the social and digital infrastructure that will allow their citizens to have access to these services. The Fund will support initiatives that increase women’s participation in financial decision-making and promote gender-sensitive policy reforms.
The Global Fund and its members have an obligation to uphold the principles of the United Nations Charter, which guarantee the equality of men and women and their full participation in all aspects of society. They must do this by promoting and supporting gender-sensitive policies, such as the right to adequate paid leave and flexible working hours. They must also support local and international efforts to address gender-based violence, including the fight against child marriage, sex-based trafficking, and other forms of discrimination.