Safeguarding womens right to health
It is high time
for the government to
take pragmatic measures
to ensure womens
reproductive and
sexual health
That the United Nations Working Group on Discrimination against Women in Law and Practice has called on Governments to take urgent, immediate and effective steps to address the global challenge of safeguarding womens right to health, including their reproductive and sexual health, is a step in the right direction. In a new report to the UN Human Rights Council, the expert panel documents how the use of womens bodies as instruments for political, cultural, religious and economic purposes represents a major obstacle to the wellbeing and safety of women. The concern of the UN body is genuine.
Women constitute half of the total population of Bangladesh; development of the country greatly depends on them. Women have made significant contributions to various sectors of the country during the last few decades. Their involvement in the RMG industry has opened up a wide avenue for them. The present government has done a lot for the improvement of women but much more should be done. Despite all these, how much freedom and rights do women enjoy in a patriarchal and male-dominated society? How many women are conscious about their reproductive and sexual health? Discrimination and deprivation still stare them in the face.
Vast womenfolk in urban and rural areas of the country are still leading sub-human life due to abysmal poverty, illiteracy, curse of early marriage, pangs of premature motherhood and dowry. Malnutrition is squeezing their life force. Age-old superstition, ignorance, taboos and shyness dissuade many women from discussing their health-related problems openly. Many women are suffering from complications due to absence of maintenance of menstrual hygiene.
The government has fixed the age of marriage for girls at 18. Earlier, it was the opinion of the relevant authorities that a girl can be married off even at the age of 16 if consents are available from the parents of the girl. The issue triggered intense debates among the relevant people. It is high time for the government to take pragmatic measures to ensure right to womens reproductive and sexual health.
The government hospitals in cities and district towns and the health centres at remote areas can play a vital role in this regard. Creation of massive awareness is also the need of the hour. Together with the government initiatives NGOs can also come forward. For achieving the millennium development goal (MDG) there is no alternative to improving the health care of women.
