The Development of Global Women’s Rights and Improvements in Reproductive Health Intervention Access of Females with Different Socio-Economic Status

Female’s access to reproductive health intervention has experienced dramatic change with the development of women’s rights across the world. However, the influence of the development of global women’s rights on reproductive health intervention access differs by place of residence and by the socio-economic characteristics of educational attainment and income levels. As a response to it, this study investigates the influence of the development of global women’s rights on contraceptive intervention access of females from different places of residence (rural/urban areas), with different educational attainment and income levels. Using multi-source data from World Health Organization (WHO), Inter-Parliament Union (IPU), International Labor Organization (ILO), and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), empirical results show that the development of women’s rights generally improves female’s contraceptive intervention access around the world, and especially benefits females in rural areas, with a lower educational level, and in the medium or low-income stratum. The development of global women’s rights thus contributes to the social equity of healthcare access for females.