‘I am Generation Equality: Realising Women’s Rights’ is UN Women’s theme for this year’s International Women’s Day, marking the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.

My greatest joy as an obstetrician in Mozambique is that I can speak to and treat women and girls every day.

I also have the opportunity to speak with young women and adolescents. I especially enjoy building relationships with girls, discussing their health needs including family planning, giving them the skills to be stronger about their own sexual reproductive health and rights and what they can do to keep them in school.

‘I am Generation Equality: Realising Women’s Rights’ is UN Women’s theme for this year’s International Women’s Day, marking the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.

This month FIGO has spoken with Dr Jaideep Malhotra, Past President of FOGSI and Member of FIGO Committee on Reproductive Medicine, Endocrinology and Infertility.

"It was a dream for me to become a doctor and to serve the women of India.

I feel very blessed because the education system in our country, especially the higher education in the medical colleges, is very affordable and as far as training is concerned we have plenty of opportunity to learn as the patient load in the hospitals is too high for doctors to handle.

Last year’s UN Political Declaration on UHC highlighted the need to ‘mainstream a gender perspective when designing, implementing and monitoring health policies, taking into account the specific needs of all women and girls, with a view to achieving equality and the empowerment of women in health systems delivery.’

This month FIGO has spoken with Dr Taghreed Alhaidari, Secretary General, Iraq Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Member of FIGO Committee on Human Rights, Refugees and Violence Against Women.

"Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services." Article 25, Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Pictured: committee meeting in Turin, chaired by Professor Chiara Benedetto

The Women’s Health and Human Rights committee promotes the respect to human rights for women’s health as a means to improve the quality of care provided to them.