Paragraphs 106(a)-(b)of the Beijing Platform for Action. Chapter IV. C. Women and Health
Author(s): Scott Douglas Jacobsen
Publication (Outlet/Website): The Good Men Project
Publication Date (yyyy/mm/dd): 2018/10/29
Strategic objective C.1.
Increase women’s access throughout life cycle to appropriate, affordable and quality health care, information and related services
Actions to be taken
106. By Governments, in collaboration with non-governmental organizations and employers’ and workers’ organizations and with the support of international institutions:
- Support and implement the commitments made in the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development, as established in the report of that Conference and the Copenhagen Declaration on Social Development and Programme of Action of the World Summit for Social Development /15 and the obligations of States parties under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and other relevant international agreements, to meet the health needs of girls and women of all ages;
- Reaffirm the right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standards of physical and mental health, protect and promote the attainment of this right for women and girls and incorporate it in national legislation, for example; review existing legislation, including health legislation, as well as policies, where necessary, to reflect a commitment to women’s health and to ensure that they meet the changing roles and responsibilities of women wherever they reside;
Beijing Declaration (1995)
The ability of women to access proper healthcare has been and continues to be a massive area of focus in the international community, especially, in terms of sexual violence reportage and care, with the current #MeToo movement travelling through much of the world.
We can see the statements about the need to support commitments already in place as well as implement them, too. There is a definite need to further the obligations of the states in order to work on those commitments in both mutual support and individual systems implementation.
The health needs spoken of here are both girls and women, in fact. But this is based on a loose definition of the “highest attainable standards of physical and mental health.” That is to say, the basic right of girls and women to live healthy and happy lives relative to their surrounding society.
This is something to be ‘protected and promoted’ as well as supported as and recognized as a fundamental human right of females of all ages. This becomes the work of the national legislation, which means popular mobilization and activism on the part of the public to enforce those international rights stipulations for the good of the public.
The changes could then imply improvements in the health legislation and policies relevant to women’s health, in order to not only help women, children, and families live happier and healthier lives but also provide the increased freedom, through social services and supports, to make room for more flexible gender roles and responsibiltiies for women.
–One can find similar statements in other documents, conventions, declarations and so on, with the subsequent statements of equality or women’s rights:
- The Universal Declaration of Human Rights in the Preamble, Article 16, and Article 25(2).
- Convention Against Discrimination in Education (1960) in Article 1.
- The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1966) in Article 3, Article 7, and Article 13.
- International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966).
- Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (1979).
- Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (1984).
- The Declaration on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (1993).
- Beijing Declaration(1995).
- United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000).
- Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children (2000).
- The Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa or the “Maputo Protocol” (2003).
- Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence or the Istanbul Convention (2011) Article 38 and Article 39.
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