PHM-Exch> 8th March Intl Women's Day Call

[Claudio Schuftan]

From: Sarojini N. <sarojinipr at gmail.com>



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Image from Google: The Women's Library, London Metropolis University'

*The Call *



*Gender Justice and Health for ALL! 8th March, The International Women's
Day (IWD) A Call from People’s Health Movement (PHM)*



In the last few years, we have witnessed significant achievements and
continued struggles for women’s rights and gender equality. The long road
ahead necessitates our collective action and solidarity.



We persevere in our resistances against a rising tide of authoritarian
regimes and hetero- patriarchal backlash that threatens our achievements.
We are seeing retrogressive signs, often in the name of culture, religion,
traditions, at a global scale that jeopardize our right to equality and
freedoms. Democratic spaces are shrinking, making it more difficult for
civil society organisations and rights groups to dissent against rights
violations and atrocities.



Further, the last two years has witnessed the challenges posed by the
Covid-19 pandemic and the persistent absence of accountability of States
and non -State actors including Big Pharma that clearly prioritised profits
over people.



At the moment, healthcare systems and infrastructure suffer from a blatant
disregard for existing inequities that are determined by the health and
well-being of the people, particularly the marginalized. The pandemic
mismanagement has not just reproduced these inequities but also reinforced
them.



These inequities persist in both public and private spheres. The crisis of
gender-based violence experienced by many women and LBTQI+ persons, the
burden of unpaid care work and domestic chores, the issues of mental health
and wellbeing, the systemic violence through the denial and delay of
essential healthcare and sexual and reproductive health services, are all
testament to how our homes and health ecosystems have not been a safe haven
even in these times of acute crises. The women who have faced the brunt of
the pandemic as frontline workers, healthcare professionals, caregivers,
innovators, community organisers, and more, have had to struggle for wages,
entitlements, social security, and workplaces free from harassment.



Women are being deprived of their bodily autonomy and sexual and
reproductive health and rights. Abortions continue to be criminalised or
accessible conditionally in many countries. Maternal health care and
avoidable maternal deaths are persisting concerns in many countries but
lack the necessary attention. Guttmacher Institute report in 2018, more
than 22,000 women and girls die each year after having an unsafe abortion.
Lack of access to comprehensive sexuality education and other sexual and
reproductive health services continue to remain limited or out of reach
particularly for adolescents and those on the margins. Early and forced
marriages have emerged as a critical issue, exacerbated by the pandemic
context and socio-economic impact on marginalised communities. Governments
have systematically failed to prioritise gender budgeting and allocate
finances to fulfil the needs of women and girls.



Governments have an obligation to address the particular needs of
LBTQI+persons, women and girls of colour, those from marginalized
religious, racial, caste communities, living with disabilities, immigrants,
women in prisons, frontline health workers, to name a few. Governments also
have an obligation to address underlying structural factors which negate
women's autonomy in decision-making regarding their own lives, health and
bodies, to ensure their rights to autonomy and equality in all aspects of
their lives.



Dismantling patriarchal and racist structures across institutions and
systems is an inevitable need in the face of inequalities and injustices
being exacerbated since the onset of this pandemic. Moreover, repression,
occupation, war and conflict that continue to be unleashed against and
within nations must be challenged and resisted. Shrinking responsibility
and the growing repression, occupation, war and conflict by Governments
must continue to be resisted.



Global solidarities and struggles are more relevant and vital in this
moment as peace and justice, health and human rights, including sexual and
reproductive health rights continue to be threatened.

Our collective voices must be heard over and above these oppressions, our
resistances  must be strengthened and sustained to counter these threats
and subversion of rights.



This International Women’s Day (IWD), then, marks another opportunity to
reimagine an equitable and gender just world. It is time for us to
strengthen our longstanding political analysis of health and access to
healthcare. The legalization of abortion in Argentina, Mexico and Colombia,
is an inspiring illustration of the long struggle and victory of feminists
and health activists in Latin America. This makes it more important to
build alliances to share strategies, solidarities, support, and active
engagement to confront these marginalizations and oppressions.



Our collective voices are as critical today as ever before on this
International Women’s Day and beyond for,


   - A world that is equitable, inclusive and diverse
   - A world that respects autonomy and bodily integrity
   - A world free of violence and discrimination
   - A world that fulfills our vision of peace and harmony

Join us on the International Women's Day (IWD), 8th March 2022 to remember
our struggles and envision an equitable and gender just world.



Call by Gender Justice and Health Thematic Group,

People’s Health Movement (PHM)
Website: https://phmovement.org/;

Twitter @PHMglobal;

E mail: Sarojini_N at phmovement.org
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