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Sweden: when SheDecides, everybody benefits

28th April 2022

Matilda Ernkrans, Minister for International Development Cooperation, Sweden - and new SheDecides Champion - explains why SRHR is essential, how Sweden is advancing SRHR worldwide, and what others can do to support.
"Ensuring sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) for women, girls and LGBTQI-persons is at the core of our feminist foreign policy."

It’s a human rights issue, a health issue and an issue related to gender equality, but it’s also a must for achieving sustainable development and economic growth. When SheDecides whether, when and with whom to have sex, fall in love, marry and have children, everybody benefits.

Sweden consistently stands up and speaks out for every person’s right to decide freely over their own body, sexuality and reproduction.

Over several decades, Sweden has been one of the largest financial contributors to SRHR advocacy and services globally. In 2020, Swedish support to UNFPA contributed to 1.7 million unsafe abortions being prevented, 15 720 maternal deaths averted, and 10.5 million women and young people being reached with sexual- and reproductive health services. The same year, Swedish support to UN Women made it possible for women and girls subjected to violence to access essential services in 49 countries.

We will continue this support. Because we want everyone to have access to safe and legal abortion, we want to eliminate violence against women and girls and we want to make sure that everyone gets access to comprehensive sexuality education.

We encourage others to join.