Women’s Health in Global Supply Chains – Re-Envisioning the Business Role
The Family Planning Summit in London this week is re-invigorating efforts to ensure that women and girls around the world are able to plan their families and their futures. A main focus is on strengthening public health services and on building networks of civil society and other partners to expand rights-based family planning.
But what about the corporate role in these matters – and business’ responsibility to respect human rights, including reproductive health rights, in their own operations and commercial relationships? Beginning with the World Health Organization Constitution(1946) and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948), human rights instruments have progressively addressed the social determinants of health, including the workplace, occupational health and safety, and the right to sexual and reproductive health.
The adoption of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights in 2011 was an important milestone for human rights. Yet, women’s health rights at work continue to be largely passed over.