Dr. Lina AbiRafeh

Global Women’s Rights Activist and Consultant

Bodily autonomy and integrity for women underlies everything that we do – everything that we are trying to achieve. This is the cornerstone of the feminist movement which is also the most contested and hardest to win. But it opens the door for all the other pieces of work that we must do – ensuring women’s access to health and education, engaging women in politics, decision-making, leadership, the economy – none of which are possible without the right to decide our own bodies FIRST.

I am passionate about this because to me it is a no-brainer – something non-negotiable and not up for discussion. EVERYONE has the rights to their own body. And yet, it seems like since the beginning of time, men have made decisions about women’s bodies – everything ranging from their reproductive functions to the preferred length of their hair. How did we allow it to go this far?! I think it’s time we all stood up and said: ENOUGH! SheDecides.