UNFPA harps on achieving bodily autonomy

The Country Representative of UN Population Fund (UNFPA), Ms Ulla Mueller, says achieving bodily autonomy is a major step toward ending violence against women.

She made the remark on Tuesday at the launch of the 2021 State of the World Population (SWOP) report in Abuja.

She said it had become imperative to end all forms of violence against women, as well as ending impunity.

She added that “bodily autonomy is about the power to say yes and right to say no.

“Achieving bodily autonomy is ending violence against women. Impunity has to end and give access to justice.”

Mueller described SWOP as UNFPA’s flagship programme aimed at bringing Gender Based Violence issues to the mainstream by leaving no one behind.

According to her, gender equality benefits men’s health and reduces maternal mortality.

She decried the lower percentage of women that had rights over their bodies, which according to her is 46 per cent.

She explained that bodily autonomy was only a human right and the foundation on which other rights were built.

“No violation of bodily autonomy is excusable,” she stressed.