UNFPA- State of World Population Report- My Body is My Own

United Nations Population Fund released the State of World Population Report 2021, titled: My Body is My Own. This is the first report in the history of UN that focuses on bodily autonomy, which is defined as the power and agency to make choices about one’s body without fear of violence or having someone else decide for you.

Major Findings: About half of all women are denied their bodily autonomy.

• Women enjoy just 75 per cent of the legal rights of men, despite constitutional guarantees of gender equality.
• About half of adolescent girls and women can make their own decisions related to bodily autonomy and integrity.
• Only 55 percent of girls and women are able to make their own decisions in all three dimensions of bodily autonomy – healthcare, contraception, and the ability to say yes or no to sexual intercourse.
• Only 71 per cent of countries guarantee access to overall maternity care.
• Only about 80 per cent of countries have laws supporting sexual health and well-being.
• Only about 56 per cent of countries have laws and policies supporting comprehensive sexuality education.

Factors that affect a Woman’s Bodily Autonomy