Opinion: The fight for gender equality can't abandon reproductive rights

At this year’s annual U.N. meeting on women’s rights, the pro-choice community was alive and well — its resilience on clear display in the halls of the United Nations. Thirty years on from the landmark agreement that enshrined sexual and reproductive rights in the fight for gender equality, we must not give up on the battle for women and girls to have control over their own bodies. At the 69th Commission on the Status of Women, or CSW69, which concluded last week, governments, civil society organizations, and activists came together once again to reaffirm that women’s rights are human rights. Despite facing fierce pressure from anti-gender and anti-rights groups, the declaration that emerged from CSW69 signals an ongoing global commitment to advancing gender equality. Yet it was a bittersweet moment. “Given the significant resources and tactical loudness of the anti-choice movement, it is crucial that we too, as members of the pro-choice movement, deliberately raise our own voices.” --— While the political declaration was agreed on by consensus by all governments in the world and a win in and of itself, there was a notable absence of the mention of sexual and reproductive health and rights, or SRHR. Thirty years ago, reproductive rights were recognized as human rights and explicitly included in the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, a landmark agreement on the empowerment of women and girls, positioning SRHR as central to gender equality. The fact that these rights are now being disputed is both alarming and deeply concerning, particularly considering the critical challenges in access to health care, in particular for vulnerable groups in low- and middle-income countries. Women and girls who are living in poverty, belong to ethnic, racial, and Indigenous minority groups, or are trapped in conflict settings are at a higher risk of death due to limited access to sexual and reproductive health care. This is further exacerbated by the reintroduction of restrictive policies such as the “global gag rule,” which prevents U.S. aid from being allocated to groups that provide services and information linked to abortion. The erosion of reproductive rights in certain countries, including the United States, Argentina, and Italy, coupled with attacks on multilateral institutions such as the World Health Organization, and the denial of access to health care in ongoing humanitarian crises, as well as decreases in official development assistance, underscores the urgency for collective action. It has been estimated that the lack of access to contraceptive care that the 90-day freeze on U.S. foreign aid entails will result in 4.2 million unintended pregnancies and 8,340 deaths from complications during pregnancy and childbirth.. Given the significant resources and tactical loudness of the anti-choice movement, it is crucial that we too, as members of the pro-choice movement, deliberately raise our own voices. Thankfully, the ambition and determination seen in the conference halls of the U.N. to stand up for women's and girls' rights — in all their diversity — was palpable. Key messages of support arose, with South Africa’s Minister of Social Development Nokuzola Sisisi Tolashe reinforcing the centrality of safe abortion to gender equality, while the ministers from the Nordic Council of Minister’s Pushing For Progress campaign reaffirmed their clear and unwavering support for abortion rights. Colombia, France, and Spain showcased political leadership through their feminist foreign policies, positioning SRHR as a crucial component of development cooperation. France underlined the importance of robust legal protections for abortion rights, citing their constitutional enshrinement of the right to abortion last year as a powerful precedent for other nations, including Sweden, which is now considering similar measures. Others have stepped up their global commitments: Germany has given €12 million to the United Nations Population Fund’s Maternal and Newborn Health Fund until 2027, and Norway’s 2025 budget emphasizes global health cooperation, including strengthening SRHR and reducing maternal mortality. Sweden has launched its new SRHR strategy with a 4.3 billion Swedish krona commitment over five years, which includes continued support for safe abortion and comprehensive sexuality education. These commitments serve as beacons of hope, reminding us that progress still happens when political leaders and donors act with courage and conviction. We also heard stories of resilience, innovation, and progress from civil society leaders. How organizations such as MSI Reproductive Choices are using telemedicine and AI technologies to reach communities and expand health care across Latin America and the Caribbean. Abortion rights defenders and service providers RHNK shared stories of tackling misinformation in Kenya, ensuring women and young people understand their rights. We heard from the Right Here Right Now partnership, including in Asia, emphasizing how the abortion rights community is coming together across regions to share information and find strategies that are countering the anti-choice movement and holding their own governments to account. These stories underscore the pro-choice movement's powerful determination and resilience as we continue to deliver services and information despite an ever increasingly hostile environment and devastating funding cuts. We have come a long way in 30 years. Since 1995, only four countries have rolled back abortion rights, while more than 60 have expanded access to safe abortion. Yet, nearly half of the world’s women aged 15-49 cannot still make decisions even about their own reproduction — a stark reminder that there is still much work to be done. More bold, brave leaders are needed — in government and philanthropy — to hold the line on the agreed global commitments on sexual and reproductive health and rights and resist any further attempts at rollback. With the upcoming Financing for Development conference in June, leaders and decision-makers must ensure that their promises translate into tangible financial investments to reduce poverty and create sustainable development for all. Until everyone has the right to decide about their own bodies, lives, and futures, gender equality will remain unattainable. We will not and we cannot abandon this fight.