It's been an uphill battle over centuries for women to have the right to say and do as they please, and to make decisions over their own bodies, lives, and futures.

When it comes to gender equality, one thing the whole world can agree on is that we've not yet achieved it — and not one country in the world has reached the milestone of viewing and treating women equally, and acknowledging them as autonomous beings who have a say over their decisions, movements, and bodies.

Few things in this world have been fought over as extensively as women’s bodies. You’d think by now, in 2023, women would be free to make choices over their bodies and their futures; that we’d have reached a collective understanding that all human beings have the right to do what they want with their own bodies. Alas, we’re not there yet — instead, women’s sexual and reproductive health, their safety, and their rights are at risk the world over.

But to map out our journey to an equitable future, it’s important to know how far we’ve come. Here are some of the most pivotal moments in recent history that have shaped the fight for women’s bodily autonomy.

1960

The first oral contraceptive is invented and approved by the US’s FDA. This was a huge win after women had fought for it for decades, and scientists had to work around laws that prohibited contraceptive research at the time. The ability for women to control their reproductive cycle ushered in a transformation in women’s engagement in society, the economy, and politics in the US.

1969

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is created. The UN’s sexual and reproductive health agency has been hard at work for 50 years building knowledge, awareness, and capacity on the importance of bodily autonomy, reproductive health and family planning, and to promote strategies and solutions for developing countries that are based on gender equality and human rights.

1984

The US institutes the “global gag rule”. A.k.a. the Mexico City Policy, this dangerous policy prevents US aid and support for international organizations and partners whose work involves abortion. These organizations are often prohibited from sourcing funding elsewhere for this purpose. Between 1984 and 2022, the rule has been enacted and reversed by Republican and Democratic administrations respectively.

Read the full article about fighting for women's bodily autonomy by Khanyi Mlaba at Global Citizen.