Internationally famed actor Ashley Judd took to the United Nations stage yesterday to deliver a powerful message emphasizing the rights of women and girls to self-sovereignty over their bodies and protection from male violence. Judd’s blistering allegations against Harvey Weinstein previously lit a spark that ignited the #MeToo movement, raising a global outcry against sexual harassment and assault.
Acting as a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Judd addressed the global congregation as they celebrated the 30th anniversary of a monumental document, adopted by a staggering 179 nations during the 1994 Cairo Conference. This document marked a revolutionary shift, as it was the first to recognize women’s rights to govern their own reproductive and sexual health, and attain autonomy over their decision to become pregnant.
In her engaging talk, Judd lauded this ‘Program of Action’ adopted three decades ago in Cairo, calling it a “glorious, aspirational document” with an imprinted echo in her psyche that fueled her humanitarian travels for 20 years. From slums to brothels, refugee shelters to schools, she has dedicated herself to highlighting the necessity for sexual and reproductive health rights that uplift women globally.
The Cairo Conference catalyzed a change in focus for the UNFPA—from reaching numerical targets to promoting personal choices for women and men alongside bolstering economic development and education, particularly for girls. Foundational to this shift was the research revealing that educated women typically have smaller families.
Despite recognizing sexual and reproductive rights, the Cairo Conference did not acknowledge sexual rights. This recognition was delayed until the following year’s U.N. women’s conference in Beijing.
Concerning one of the most heavily disputed topics at the Cairo Conference—unsafe abortions—the delegates acknowledged that governments must address this as a public health issue in order to protect women’s lives. However, discussions around condoning abortion as a method of family planning and legalization of the practice were tabled, and even 30 years later, still spark controversy.
The actor-turned-activist candidly recounted her journeys to places like Madagascar, where she met women commercially exploited by men, their exploitation stemming from deep-rooted gender inequality spanning across sexual, reproductive, legal, political, social, and cultural domains.
During a sojourn to Turkey last August, Judd encountered Turkish families and tent-dwelling refugees contending with substandard sanitation facilities. Judd articulated her profound gratitude towards UNFPA for their relentless efforts in providing viable family planning options to those desiring them, despite governmental restrictions that often hamper their availability.
Since becoming a UNFPA goodwill ambassador in 2016, Judd has consistently voiced the importance of women having the liberty to choose when to have children and the right to decline sexual advances without fear of retaliation.
Nevertheless, UNFPA’s Executive Director, Natalia Kanem, acknowledged the resistance that progress continues to face. Despite significant advancements over the last three decades, she admitted, “Annual reductions in maternal deaths have flattened, inequalities between and within countries are widening. The rights of women, girls and gender diverse people are the subject of increasing pushback.”
Echoing Kanem, United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed reiterated the need for unwavering diligence in addressing the rollback of sexual and reproductive health rights while countering the erosion of women’s rights. She underscored the peculiar situation—with great progress made, yet with many left behind—pointing out the high child mortality in numerous developing countries, and more so, the shocking lack of access to family planning for 164 million women globally.
