Zika response — a chance to address gaps in women's rights

Since the virus first emerged in Latin America at the end of 2015, Zika has been the topic of discussion among individuals working on sexual and reproductive rights. There was no history of the virus in the region, it was spreading rapidly, and there was great uncertainty about the extent of its effects.

What health authorities in Brazil did know was that the virus was primarily affecting women and newborns.

Governments panicked. Several countries issued statements asking women to postpone pregnancy for months, and in the case of El Salvador, for two years. Initial responses from the Pan American Health Organization and other global health authorities focused almost exclusively on mosquito control. These responses, which placed the burden of the virus square on the shoulders of women, are unjust, unreasonable and ironic in a region where women often lack the legal rights or power to make decisions about their bodies.