Here’s what you need to know about bodily autonomy

Bodily autonomy plays an important role in gender equality.

During an UNFPA Philippines webinar with the Embassy of France to the Philippines and Micronesia and Philippine Commission on Women on Thursday, experts urged the public to be more aware of the importance of bodily autonomy.

“Bodily autonomy is being able to decide for your own body and have these decisions supported by the people around you, meaning you won’t get discriminated or embarrassed as a result of your decision for your body,” said Dr. Beverly Ho, Department of Health director of health promotions and disease prevention and control bureaus.

Bodily autonomy, the doctor said, also entailed that “every individual, every woman, or every girl is able to access good information and good services that are respectful for them, including their sexual and reproductive health since this is their right. This is something you should be able to practice.”

Dr. Junice Melgar, executive director of Likhaan Center for Women’s Health Inc., also described bodily autonomy as both protection against violence and the freedom to express your own sexuality.

Violations of bodily autonomy can come, in the extremes, in the form of rape, sexual abuse and even coercion such as child marriage and denying adolescents access to contraceptives.

According to Melgar, there are many “invisible violations that are culturally embedded” in Filipinos’ “cultural makeup.” 

She said we should “actively propose cultural values that are different to compete” with the ones that we had until now. – RC, GMA News