Global health. The current scenario and future perspectives

229 related to these matters and recognizes them as central to achieving equal rights (Seminario Prigepp Democracias, 2021). From there, sexual and reproductive rights have gradually gained greater strength within human rights discourse. From a global health perspective, the earliest references to reproductive rights in international instruments date back to the late 1960s and early 1970s, highlighted by events such as the International Conference on Human Rights in Tehran (1968) and the World Population Conference in Bucharest (1974). They were primarily understood as couples’ rights to freely decide on family planning methods including timing, number of children desired or spacing between births while establishing guarantees for information provision and education on reproductive health issues. It was at conferences such as The International Conference on Population Development held in Cairo (1994) and The World Conference on Women held in Beijing (1995) that previous conceptions were surpassed by a clearer understanding that moved decisively towards a broader sexual and reproductive sphere encompassing personal guarantees linked to freedom over one’s body. These achievements undoubtedly reflected women’s political action driven by feminism both within international organizations as well as women’s organizations. The SRR, as human rights, are interdependent with other rights; they are part of a framework that nourishes and enables the exercise of civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights. Rights like self-determination, autonomy, life and health are fundamental rights closely interconnected with free and informed decisions about sexuality and reproduction that take place in the first and most legitimate territory: the body. These are sovereignties and freedoms that must be recognized and protected by the State. This constitutes a crucial step to undo a patriarchal order that continues to impose itself in these spheres with high levels of discrimination, violence and coercion against the feminine spirit or any other subordinated otherness. The feminist perspective has contributed to understanding in a situated manner the complexity and intersectionality through which restrictions on SRHR (Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights) are experienced along with their consequences. Restrictions become highly discriminatory when sexuality and reproduction focus solely on biological processes that take place within the body without considering that social and cultural contexts also influence biology. Astelarra (2005) reveals with great clarity what gender bias implies in the political sphere. The hegemonic readings and interpretations of women’s participation hinder the full understanding of the limitations imposed by social order. They do so, by trivializing or relegating women participation to a secondary role. It is essential to focus on sexuality and reproduction because this field