International Day of Action for Women's Health 2020: Date, History & Significance of the Day That Advocates Women's Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights

While biologically both women and men are affected with almost a similar intensity in terms of health issues, but one of our biggest health battles has been poverty. Lack of money leads to delay in diagnosis and then critical treatments. However, WHO believes that "poverty tends to yield a higher burden on women and girls’ health due to, for example, feeding practices (malnutrition) and use of unsafe cooking fuels (COPD)." From Holding a Menstrual Supply Drive to Supporting Female Education, Here Are Legit Ways to Uplift and Empower Women Globally!

Not to forget, women are the ones who need reproductive health facilities and reproductive rights. May 28 is celebrated as International Day of Action for Women’s Health every year from the past 30 years. Women’s rights advocates and allies in the sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) movement worldwide come together to work towards protecting women's health rights. Action is taken to stand up for sexual and reproductive rights that are also part of our human rights. How Sexual Assault, Harassment Take Toll on Women's Health. 

History And Significance

Now, at a time when women’s human rights, and particularly sexual and reproductive rights continue to be systematically violated worldwide, mobilization both within and beyond our communities remains essential, in order to resist any rollback on our rights and advance sexual and reproductive justice for all.  Ladies, Are You Guilty of Ignoring These Common Health Problems?

It is very important that women's health issues are paid urgent heed to. WHO believes that several socio-cultural factors prevent women and girls from access to quality health services. Some of the reasons presented by WHO are:

• Unequal power relationships between men and women;
• Social norms that decrease education and paid employment opportunities;
• An exclusive focus on women’s reproductive roles; and
• The potential or actual experience of physical, sexual and emotional violence

As the global geopolitical context threatens to become increasingly regressive, it is more important than ever to denounce any attempts at curtailing women’s rights, including our human rights to decide freely upon all aspects of our bodies, our sexualities, and our lives, free from coercion, discrimination and violence.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 28, 2020 08:15 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).