On Wednesday April 14, 2021, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) released the State of the World Population (SWOP) Report 2021 under the theme: My Body is My Own – Claiming the right to autonomy and self-determination.
According to the UN body, everyone has the right to bodily autonomy and should have the power to make their own choices about their bodies, noting millions of people are still denied their right to say no to sex, yes to the choice of a partner in marriage, or to the right moment to have children.
As the report indicated, many are denied these rights because of certain issues such as race, age, sex, sexual orientation or ability. It added that, through this report of the State of the World Population, UNFPA is highlighting reasons that bodily autonomy is a universal right that must be respected and upheld.
“The report revealed how serious many of the shortfalls in bodily autonomy are as well as outlines solutions already at hand.”
Real and sustainable progress, it went on, largely depends on uprooting gender inequality, removal of all forms of discrimination, and the transformation of the social and economic structures that maintain them in society.
