The Coalition for Reproductive Justice in Business
Enabling reproductive health and rights for women through private sector action
The Coalition for Reproductive Justice in Business, established by UNFPA and partners, aims to advance and mainstream the reproductive-health agenda for women and girls in corporate strategy and operations and to ensure the provision of adequate maternal-health support, access to family-planning information and response to gender-based violence in the workplace.
More than 190 million women work in global supply chains – offices, factories, farms and packing houses that supply the world’s clothing, goods and food. Private sector organizations can not only influence reproductive rights for their employees, but can also leverage their lobbying power to impact their customers, suppliers, and communities. The coalition aims to support the private sector in creating and implementing policies for sexual and reproductive health and rights that improve workplace standards for women.
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What are reproductive rights in businesses?
Reproductive rights are human rights related to sexuality and reproduction, which have a direct impact on a woman's participation and potential in the workplace. Businesses can impact the reproductive-health agenda for women and girls by providing adequate maternal-health support, access to family-planning information and response to gender-based violence in the workplace.
Businesses can create inclusive environments by adopting family-friendly policies such as flexible working arrangements to help women cope with menstrual or menopause symptoms, by investing in safe spaces at work with reporting and feedback mechanisms, by providing workplace clinics with family-planning provisions, antenatal or postnatal checkups, and reproductive-health consultations, as well as by training employees to serve as peer educators.
Where are the gaps?
There is a global need for the private sector to increase consideration and action towards sexual and reproductive rights.
Creating value
Research indicates that investing in sexual and reproductive rights in the workplace can increase women’s participation, provide flexibility and growth opportunities for women, and help maximize their potential, which in turn increases both productivity and profitability.
Invest in safe spaces at work, menstrual hygiene needs, factory clinics and more. UNFPA’s Return on Investment (ROI) tool helps organizations evaluate the business case of investing in women’s sexual and reproductive health in the workplace.
What can businesses do?
SEEK
To understand the sexual reproductive health needs across the female workforce, supply chains and communities.
ADOPT
Gender-sensitive approaches and indicators, and create conditions for decent work, equal employment, and family-friendly policies.
INVEST
In programs on women's health, diversity equity and inclusion, and ensure zero tolerance for gender-based violence.
MEASURE
Performance and returns in creating an environment in which women can realize their sexual reproductive rights.
ADVOCATE
With governments and industry groups for better policies, and increased cooperation for better reproductive rights.
