Minister Colm Brophy launches flagship UN report highlighting the importance of women’s bodily autonomy

Colm Brophy T.D., Minister of State for Overseas Development Aid and Diaspora today launched the UNFPA 2021 State of World Population report.

Speaking at the launch, Minister Brophy said:

“The ‘My Body is My Own’ report finds that only 55 per cent of women worldwide have the power to make decisions about their own healthcare, contraception, and engagement in sexual intercourse. Ireland is proud to work with partners like UNFPA to empower women.

“Women must be able to assert their agency and autonomy in relation to sexual intercourse. Educating girls is key to empowering them to make decisions that are good for them. Ireland plays a leading role on adolescent girls’ education in the Generation Equality Forum, advocating for a strong focus on this across the Forum’s Action Coalitions.  This February, I participated in two global policy dialogues with adolescent girls’ activists, hosted by Ireland. The result was a Youth Communiqué calling for access to comprehensive sexuality education, and asking the Action Coalitions to this call forward as part of the Generation Equality commitment on comprehensive sexuality education.

“Ireland’s work on global health has received renewed emphasis over the last year. We will spend €50 million on global health in 2021. We will work to ensure that women determine the care they receive, and that women’s reproductive care is central to health services.”

The launch event was chaired by Senator Annie Hoey, Co-Chair of the All-Party Oireachtas Interest Group on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights chaired the launch event, which was hosted by UNFPA’s Irish partner, the Irish Family Planning Association, and attracted the attendance of TDs, Senators, NGO representatives, activists and academics.