The situation of women in Asia in the 21st century

Asia is a vast and diverse continent, home to more than half of the world’s population and 48 countries with different cultures, religions, histories and development levels. The situation of women in Asia is therefore complex and varied, reflecting the opportunities and challenges that women face in different contexts and circumstances. However, some common trends and issues can be identified across the region, especially in relation to the implementation of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) Programme of Action, which was adopted in Cairo in 1994 and reaffirmed the centrality of women’s rights and empowerment for human development.

One of the main achievements of the ICPD was to recognize the importance of universal access to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services, including family planning, maternal health care, prevention and treatment of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and safe abortion. SRH is essential for women to exercise their autonomy, dignity and human rights, as well as to contribute to social and economic development. In Asia, significant progress has been made in improving SRH outcomes over the past 25 years. For example, the maternal mortality ratio (MMR) has declined by 64%, from 327 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1990 to 117 in 2015. The contraceptive prevalence rate (CPR) has increased from 55% in 1990 to 69% in 2015. The adolescent birth rate has decreased from 54 births per 1,000 women aged 15-19 in 1990 to 28 in 2015.

However, these regional averages mask significant disparities and gaps within and between countries. Some countries, such as China, Thailand, Sri Lanka and Malaysia, have achieved high levels of SRH indicators, comparable to those of developed countries. Others, such as Afghanistan, Pakistan, Laos and Cambodia, still face major challenges in reducing maternal mortality, increasing contraceptive use, preventing STIs and HIV/AIDS, and ensuring access to safe abortion. Moreover, within countries, there are inequalities based on income, education, ethnicity, location and other factors that affect women’s access to SRH services. For instance, in India, the MMR ranges from 30 deaths per 100,000 live births in Kerala to 300 in Assam. In Indonesia, the CPR varies from 85% in Bali to 10% in Papua.

Another key aspect of the ICPD was to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment in all spheres of life: education, work, decision-making, political participation and human rights. In Asia, there have been remarkable achievements in advancing women’s education and literacy levels. For example, the female literacy rate has increased from 65% in 1990 to 86% in 2015. The gender gap in primary education has been closed in most countries. More girls are enrolling in secondary and tertiary education than ever before.

However, these educational gains have not translated into equal opportunities and outcomes for women in the labour market and other domains. Women’s labour force participation has stalled or declined in many countries. Women are concentrated in informal, low-paid and vulnerable sectors. Women face a persistent gender pay gap. Women bear a disproportionate burden of unpaid care work. Women are underrepresented in leadership positions in politics, business and academia. Women are subjected to various forms of violence and discrimination based on gender norms and stereotypes.

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated many of these existing gender inequalities and posed new challenges for women’s rights and empowerment. Women have been more affected by the health, economic and social impacts of the crisis than men. Women have been at the frontlines of the pandemic response as health workers, caregivers and essential workers. Women have also been more exposed to the risks of infection, loss of income, poverty and food insecurity. Women have faced increased burdens of domestic work and care responsibilities due to school closures and lockdown measures. Women have experienced a surge of gender-based violence (GBV), especially domestic violence.

In this context, it is imperative to reaffirm the commitments made at the ICPD and to accelerate actions to achieve them. In November 2019, governments, civil society organizations, UN agencies and other stakeholders gathered at the Nairobi Summit on ICPD25 to celebrate the achievements of the past 25 years and to renew their pledges for the next decade. The summit resulted in more than 1,200 concrete commitments from various actors to advance SRH rights, gender equality and women’s empowerment by 2030.

In addition, it is crucial to integrate a gender perspective and a human rights approach in the COVID-19 recovery plans and strategies. This means ensuring that women’s voices and needs are heard and addressed in the design, implementation and evaluation of the policies and programmes to respond to the pandemic and its aftermath. It also means investing in women’s health, education, employment, social protection and leadership as key drivers of resilience and recovery. It also means preventing and combating GBV and supporting the survivors with adequate services and justice. It also means collecting and using sex-disaggregated data and gender-sensitive indicators to monitor the impact of the pandemic and the effectiveness of the interventions.

The situation of women in Asia in the 21st century is a mixed picture of progress and challenges, of opportunities and threats, of achievements and gaps. The ICPD provides a visionary framework and a roadmap to guide the actions of all stakeholders to improve the lives of women and girls in the region and beyond. The COVID-19 pandemic poses a serious threat to the realization of the ICPD agenda, but also offers a chance to build back better with gender equality and women’s empowerment at the core. The time to act is now.

Anabasis Project

If you want to know more…

UNFPA: Trends in Maternal Mortality

UNFPA: Family Planning Dashboard

UNFPA: Adolescent Birth Rate

India: Sample Registration System

Indonesia: Demographic and Health Survey 2017

UNESCO: Literacy Rate

UNESCO: Gender Parity Index in Primary Education

ILO: Labour Force Participation Rate by Sex

UN Women: Women in Politics 2020

UN Women: Ending Violence against Women