​Gender inequality

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You don’t become a woman until you’ve had children. True or not true? What it means to be a man or woman, and the expectations associated with this, influence the sexual and reproductive health and rights of men and women. Where our gender is defined by nature, it also becomes our social ‘gender’, socially constructed and thus subject to change.  

Gender inequality in practice
  • When large families are the norm it is not straightforward for a woman to opt to remain childless or limit the number of children.
  • When men and women are not equal, female sexuality is sometimes presented as something dangerous that needs to be controlled. 
  • Early or child marriages often place girls and women in an inferior and dependent position with respect to men. 
  • ...
 
Gender inequality is consequently often the cause of a lack of sexual and reproductive health and rights.

Being able to make life affirming choices
  • Being able to make their own choices with respect to their bodies and to sexuality, women will be able to choose whether or not to have children, when and how many. This will enable them to study, work and participate in social life.
  • Sexual and reproductive rights help girls and women to better protect their own and their children's health. 
  • Women who are healthy and burdened by fewer caring tasks can contribute more to the family income. This will enable some families to break out of the poverty cycle. Women with their own income also have a stronger negotiating position within the family.  
 
Sexual and reproductive health and rights consequently help to eliminate inequalitybetween men and women. They are strongly anchored in the new 2030 Agenda for sustainable development under the sustainable development goals 3 on health and 5 on gender equality. 
 

Our other themes

Maternal health
Population and development
Sexual and reproductive rights
Family planning
Hiv and aids

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