Bincangperempuan.com- The global rollback on gender equality is increasingly threatening women’s sexual and reproductive health rights. Gender-based violence has shown little decline since 2000, while female genital mutilation has risen by 15 percent over the past eight years.
The situation has worsened with the withdrawal of the United States from dozens of international organizations working on gender equality and health, including several United Nations agencies.
“We must acknowledge the systemic link between gender injustice and patriarchy, capitalism, militarisation, and religious fundamentalism,” said Shobha Shukla, Coordinator of SHE & Rights (Sexual Health with Equity & Rights).
According to Shukla, the growing conservative backlash risks eroding progress made in expanding access to sexual and reproductive health services, especially for women and gender-diverse communities.
Feminist leader and physician activist from Argentina, Mabel Bianco, warned that the US withdrawal has severely affected funding for health programmes in low- and middle-income countries.
“The sudden suspension of funding disrupts health services, particularly sexual and reproductive health programmes,” she said.
Bianco added that the crisis of multilateralism weakens global protection of women’s right to health.
“Countries in the global south must strengthen solidarity to defend sexual and reproductive health rights amid increasing political pressure,” she said.
Baca juga: Kekerasan Berbasis Gender Mandek Dua Dekade, Pakar: “Tak Ada Alasan untuk Tidak Zero Tolerance”
Maternal and Reproductive Health Services at Risk in Developing Countries
The global backlash against gender equality is having direct consequences for maternal and reproductive health services in developing countries, as international support continues to shrink.
Gender justice advocate from Nepal, Tushar Niroula, said many advances in women’s health have depended on support from international agencies such as UN Women, UNFPA, UNICEF, and WHO.
“If technical and financial assistance is reduced, access to sexual and reproductive health services—especially in remote areas—will become even more limited,” Niroula said.
He stressed that marginalised women, including poor women, Indigenous women, women with disabilities, and migrant women, will be the most affected.
“The risk is not only rising maternal mortality but also weakened services for adolescent and reproductive health,” he added.
Virginia Kamowa from the Global Center for Health Diplomacy and Inclusion said the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) remains an important accountability mechanism to pressure governments to uphold health rights.
“UPR allows the public to track government commitments to reduce maternal mortality and expand access to reproductive health services,” Kamowa said.
She explained that maternal deaths remain a key indicator of systemic health failures.
“Women who are poor, young, or living in rural areas are disproportionately affected due to limited access to sexual and reproductive health services,” she said.
Baca juga: Kekerasan terhadap Perempuan Stagnan Dua Dekade, Seruan Global Jelang HAKTP
Abortion Criminalisation and Anti-Gender Narratives Intensify
Beyond shrinking international support, feminist movements are also confronting growing anti-gender propaganda that directly affects reproductive rights, including the criminalisation of abortion.
Pauline Fernandez, Coordinator of the Philippine Safe Abortion Advocacy Network (PINSAN), said abortion remains heavily stigmatised in the Philippines despite the country’s reproductive health law enacted in 2012.
“Abortion is still treated as a crime. Yet this is about bodily autonomy and access to safe, compassionate healthcare,” Fernandez said.
She argued that global conservative trends have emboldened governments to dismiss international recommendations on abortion rights and gender equality.
“When powerful countries withdraw from global commitments, governments feel justified in rejecting recommendations on decriminalising abortion and advancing equality,” she said.
Fernandez stressed that decriminalising abortion does not promote abortion, but ensures women are not punished for seeking healthcare.
“No one should be criminalised for accessing health services,” she said.
In this context, feminist groups emphasise that cross-border solidarity is crucial to defending sexual and reproductive health rights.
“Without global solidarity, women will increasingly face state control over their bodies alone,” Fernandez concluded.
