‘Birth spacing can save women’s lives’
Worldwide, unchecked inequality and failure to protect the rights of poorest women could undermine peace and world’s development goals, according to a UNFPA report.
Globally, only about half of the world’s women hold paid jobs while women earn 77 per cent of what men get. The State of World Population 2017 suggests that three in five women worldwide lack maternity leave, and many pay motherhood penalty. However, Oman needs to fill in certain gaps such as short maternity leave and birthspacing. Oman has made recommendations on these two topics at ministerial representations.
“Unless inequality is urgently tackled and the poorest women empowered to make their own decisions about their lives, countries could face unrest and threats to peace and development,’ Asr Toson, Representative of the United Nations Population Fund, Sub-Regional Office for the GCC countries, told the Observer, quoting the report titled “Worlds Apart: Reproductive Health and Rights in an Age of Inequality” published by UNFPA, on Sunday.
He further said that failure to provide reproductive health services, including family planning, to the poorest women can weaken economies and sabotage progress towards the number one sustainable development goal, to eliminate poverty.
“Economic inequality reinforces and is reinforced by other inequalities, including those in women’s health, where only a privileged few are able to control their fertility, and, as a result, can develop skills, enter the paid labour force and gain economic power,” Toson said. Shaima Aly, Programme and Communication Associate was also present.
“To achieve progress in women empowerment, each country needs to tailor-make a comprehensive strategy within their socio-cultural framework.”
The report further says that limited access to family planning translates into 89 million unintended pregnancies and 48 million abortions in developing countries annually. This not only harms women’s health, but also restricts women’s ability to join or stay in the paid labour force and move towards financial independence.