Throughout the world, sexual rights remain one of the most contested domains of women’s human rights. Issues around sexuality are those that first come under attack, be it on international platforms such as the United Nations, or in national contexts.
Conservative political forces are striving to maintain and reinforce control over women’s sexuality with ever increasing resolve. Control of women’s sexuality is the root cause of many women’s human rights violations, such as ‘honour’ crimes, early and forced marriages and female genital mutilation (FGM), and these violations are legitimised by conservative forces through the imposition of patriarchal social constructs and the misuse of religion and traditions.