Women’s reproductive and sexual health rights are essential for women and adolescents health in Eswatini and throughout Africa. As Mandisa Zwane-Machakata of SAfAIDS Eswatini points out, efforts related to women’s reproductive health rights have been critical in expanding women’s human rights, this has also been amplified by international development cooperating agencies such as Crossroads International of Canada. Adoption of a health and human rights framework, such as the ESA Ministerial Commitments, enables logical applications of the relationship between women’s health and human rights, social fairness, and respect for human dignity.
Political, legal, societal, and economical obstacles to reproductive health rights exist. In light of this, it is past time to take action on all Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR). The COVID-19 pandemic is also more than simply health. It’s a huge blow to our societies and economies, especially for women. COVID-19 has exacerbated gender disparities which rested in increase of Gender Based Violence, loss of income for informal sector, most affected being women as well scarcity of access to SRH services and increased chore burden for women and girls.
Health rights are legal, political, and social standards that protect all people from major legal, political, and social violations. The World Health Organization (WHO) Constitution of 1946, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) of 1948, and the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights of 1966 are examples of historical and modern applications of modern health rights development after World War II. Each of these ideologies stated that all people are created equal and had rights, including the right to health. The World Health Organization established in its Constitution that one of every person’s essential privileges is to achieve the best possible health paradigm. In many parts of the world, however, the right to health is still being ignored. Many African countries suffer from the same neglect, albeit to a lesser extent.
The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1966) further expanded on the issue of human rights by specifying socio-economic rights. These rights include, but are not inhibited to, the right to education, shelter, health, water and food, employment, social security, a healthy environment, and the right to advancement (“International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights” articles 10-12). The treaty exemplifies processes to be implemented by States parties to accomplish: maternal, child and reproductive health; healthy natural and workplace environments; prevention, treatment and control of disease; health facilities, goods and services. This treaty also states that all socio-economic rights must be declared without inequity.
Gender disparities are a chief reason of disproportion in health status, including health care. Gender differentiations are evident in disease prevalence; access to preventive care; and reproductive health. Promotion of gender equality in other sectors can influence health status and have reinforced public health outcomes. Unfortunately, there remains a considerable disparity among recognized allegiance to gender equality in reproductive health services within Eswatini and other African countries. The foremost cause of death and disease in women globally age 15-44 are reproductive health issues.
Cultural and societal customs regarding reproductive health contribute to the variations among women’s and men’s health status. Acknowledgment of the dynamic gender roles and associations reliant on social perspectives where cultural, religious, economic, and political positions are mutual are necessary to promoting gender equality in healthcare, ESA Commitments affirms this.
Gender customs and discrimination within Eswatini, in addition to policies and laws influence women’s access to health services and education can have a significant effect on women’s reproductive health and their interrelated human rights( “Reproductive Health and Human Rights”). It is imperative to acknowledge the significant health outcomes attributed to a woman’s capability of autonomy in controlling health and health decisions. The ability for a woman to have control over when and how many children she has is crucial to increasing women’s economic abilities.
Family planning occupies the use of contraception to control the amount of children and intervals between births. An effective analysis of reproductive health allows women and girls to establish informed decisions about their reproductive health and welfare. Services include access to contraceptives, education, legal abortion, screenings and treatment, pregnancy testing and counseling.
Population health is necessary for continuing economic advancement and overcoming poverty. Boys, girls and women should have a fundamental right to health and welfare, but significant infringements and disparities in health determinants and healthcare access continue to exist. In most African countries, numerous relations among poverty and sexual and reproductive behavior exist. Being disadvantaged is related to first intercourse acts at an earlier age; less constancy with or no contraceptive usage; and reduced rationale to evade childbearing and rearing . The prevalent concern is to surmount social cultural barriers and initiate family planning courses and assistances to women and girls. Supporting and promoting women’s reproductive rights and encouraging family planning, enhances economic circumstances of women and families. Violence and discrimination against women continue to negatively impact them.
The collaboration between public health and human rights transforms social and political structures that prevent women and girls from fulfilling their highest human potential.
The extensive historical impact of women and girls health and human rights emphasizes the need for endorsement and defense of health through respecting; protecting and fulfilling of women’s human and health rights that are inextricably linked. It is imperative for public health officials and law makers to understand the serious health consequences and implications of defiance of women’s health and human rights can have. The creation of universal health policies and programs to promote women’s health and human rights in their design can facilitate the support of rights to autonomy, participation, privacy, and information in health care. Finally, susceptibility to illness can be abridged by adopting measures to appreciate, defend and accomplish human rights through autonomy from inequity of race, sex, and gender roles, as well as a fundamental right to health, nutrition, and education.
