WUNRN
WGNRR – Women’s Global Network for Reproductive Rights
http://wgnrr.org/join-the-may-28-international-day-of-action-for-womens-health-campaign/
May 28, International Day of Action for Women’s Health
Our Health, Our Rights, Our Lives!
End Violence Against Women in ALL its Forms
On May 28
International Day of Action for Women’s Health, women’s rights activists and
allies advocate worldwide for women ’s comprehensive health and well-being,
particularly their unmet sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). This
May 28, we call on
governments worldwide to respect, protect, and fulfill women’s right to health,
dignity and bodily integrity, and end violence against women in ALL its
forms.Governments around the world are currently in the final stages of
establishing the Post-2015 Development Agenda, which will include a set of
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that will guide international development
policies, priorities, and funding over the next 15 years. Throughout this and
other recent global review processes, violence against women has rightly
received due attention from governments and UN institutions alike as “one of
the most prevalent forms of human rights violations worldwide,” constraining
women’s empowerment and impeding sustainable development. Yet one form of violence,
particularly experienced by women and girls if they are young, unmarried, poor,
HIV affected, of diverse sexual orientations or gender identities, living with
a disability, or in other vulnerable situations, remains rampant and
unaddressed: namely, the institutional violence they experience when they are
denied their right to health and are unable to access sexual and reproductive
health services.
“Institutional violence,” or violence
perpetrated by the State, has traditionally been understood as largely
occurring within extreme circumstances of conflicts, disasters, and economic
crises. As defined by the 1993 UN Declaration on the Elimination of
Violence Against Women, however, violence against women includes “physical,
sexual and psychological violence perpetrated or condoned by the State or its
agents regardless of where it occurs.” With this definition in mind,
examples of violence and discrimination resulting from the violation of women’s
right to sexual and reproductive health are far too common and widespread, such
as:
• The denial of the right to access
safe and legal abortion services.
• Forced or coerced sterilization.
• Obstetric violence.
• The denial of access to
contraceptives including emergency contraception.
This May 28, we must remind governments
worldwide that#WomensHealthMatters, hold leaders accountable, and ensure that
commitments related to sexual and reproductive health and rights are retained
if not strengthened in future development efforts.
Note: If you are
interested in having a May 28 event in your area and need support or want more
ideas contact: irina@wgnrr.org and/or marisol@wgnrr.orgTo
find out more about May 28 Campaign:
Website: www.may28.org
Twitter: @WGNRR #May28 #WomensHealthMatters
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WGNRR
Instagram:
WGNRR_campaigns