Deciding whether to have children or not is one of the most important and life-altering decisions a person can make. Yet, data gathered by the United Nations Population Fund, or UNFPA, from 68 countries show that some “44% of partnered women are unable to decide over health care, sex, or contraception”. As a result, almost half of all pregnancies globally are unintended.
“I have witnessed a lot of women being forced to get pregnant by essentially having their family planning withheld or a family member saying that they can't use family planning before getting a first child,” said Dr. Alice Kaaria, program director at Reproductive and Maternal Health Consortium Kenya and a specialist obstetrician-gynecologist.
This violation of a woman’s bodily autonomy — and of one of their most basic human rights — is the product of reproductive violence. While definitions around this relatively new term differ, it is generally understood as the act of violating a woman’s right to freely decide if and when to have children. “Reproductive violence may be a new term, but it's certainly not a new experience,” Dr. Natalia Kanem, executive director at UNFPA, told Devex.
About the author
Natalie Donback
Natalie Donback is a freelance journalist and editor based in Barcelona, where she covers climate change, global health, and the impact of technology on communities. Previously, she was an editor and reporter at Devex, covering aid and the humanitarian sector. She holds a bachelor’s degree in development studies from Lund University and a master’s in journalism from the University of Barcelona and Columbia Journalism School.
