Inequality ‘will lead to social unrest’
That’s the key finding of the of the State of the Word Population 2017 report published by the UN Population Fund (UNFPA).
The study highlights the cost to societies which fail to provide adequate sexual and reproductive health rights for women.
In most developing countries, the poorest women have little access to family planning. The report points out that this translates into 89m unplanned pregnancies and 48m abortions in these countries every year.
This not only harms women’s health but also limits their ability to join or stay in paid employment and move towards financial independence.
The report found that lack of access to related services, such as affordable childcare, also stops women from seeking jobs outside the home.
For women who are in the labour force, the study said the absence of paid maternity leave and employers’ discrimination against those who become pregnant amounts to a motherhood penalty, forcing many women to choose between a career and parenthood.
Launching the report at an event hosted by the Irish Family Planning Association, the Minister of State for Health Promotion Catherine Byrne said the findings portray the enormous difficulties women and girls face in the developing world.
“This is all because of their gender and attendant inequalities,” Ms Byrne said.
“Societies suffer when the capacities of women and girls are repressed. Women and girls have an equal part to play in socio-economic activity and development. That’s why this report is important.”
UN Population Fund representative in Tanzania, Jacqueline Mahon, said the failure to provide reproductive healthcare, including family planning, to the poorest women can weaken economies and sabotage progress towards eliminating poverty.
