Advancing women’s health is fundamental to achieving universal health coverage, health equity and gender equality. Health underpins women’s quality of life and enables the realization of other human rights, supporting women’s full participation in social, economic and political life.
Our work Promoting women’s human rights and achieving gender equality are core commitments of the UN Human Rights Office. We promote women and girls’ equal enjoyment of all human rights, including freedom from violence, sexual and reproductive rights, access to justice, socio-economic equality, and participation in decision-making.
A UN Human Rights report highlights widespread gender-based violence, poor health provisions, and discriminatory legal systems disproportionately affecting women and girls in criminal justice detention worldwide.
We envision a world in which systems of oppression and harm are dismantled, and women and girls regardless of race, ethnic origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, socioeconomic ...
Moreover, many women, including transgender, gender diverse and intersex women, face compounded forms of discrimination—due to factors such as their age, race, ethnicity, disability, or socio-economic status—in addition to gender-based discrimination.
GENEVA – Without substantive gender equality, women and girls, comprising about half of the world’s population, cannot realise their right to development, a UN expert warned today.“Gender equality is a cross-cutting foundational human right that must not fluctuate with changes in the political climate,” said Surya Deva, the Special Rapporteur on the right to development.
The New York Times: Older Women Are in Demand by Younger Men
To achieve this, health systems must prioritize women’s and girls’ health needs and their full participation in the workforce. By creating opportunities for women to participate equally at every level, including in decision making, we can transform health systems, bridge gender gaps, and build a healthier, more equitable world.