UN woman - Development of Woman’s Rights

On Wednesday, June 4th, the delegations of 50 countries and Ariaan Scheffel and Sabinia

Mihuloá, as the Chairs, gathered at the Cäcilienschule for this year’s UN Woman Committee.

While getting started with some icebreaking quizzes and group games, the warm atmosphere

created a safe space for every participant. The following discussion, starting with opening

speeches, called out the ongoing issues in relation to woman rights. Regarding this year’s

topic nearly all delegations degreed on one thing: women require the needed help and better

access to healthcare.

Throughout the last decades the development of women’s rights has made progress in both

directions, important steps leading to equality as well as moving back in time. Especially the

fields of female education and woman’s healthcare need to be adressed in 2025, even though

progress has already been made in recent years. Compared to the year 2000, around eight

million more girls worldwide have access to an appropriate education. Nonetheless, the

influence of poverty and the lack of infrastructure- to call out one reason- causes a lack of

women’s rights, which ultimately affects human rights in general. Particularly African regions

are still affected.

Additionally women’s rights have been severely restricted, since the Taliban took over

Afghanistan in 2021. There, girls are banned from secondary school and university now and

even lost the right of simply talking in public. Woman are banned to invisibility.

On the other hand, women’s access to healthcare has improved over the past quarter

century. Between the years 2000 and 2020, the global maternal mortality rate dropped by

34%, according to the World Health Organisation. This means the number of dying women

during pregnancy or childbirth decreased, because of better access to healthcare.

Furthermore, there has been progress in the reproductive rights. In 2018 Ireland legalized

abortion in the aftermath of a public vote and since 2020 women in Argentina have more

control over their own bodies, to name just a few improvements.

Despite the fact that change already happened, and still does, many nations struggle with providing appropriate healthcare and education for girls and women.

by Helene Klayensteiber and Lotta Juretzka