It is increasingly clear that gender-based violence, women’s economic empowerment, and sexual and reproductive health and rights are interlinked. Programming in any one area alone, without linkages to others, is incomplete.

We cannot divorce the exercise of power and control over resources from women’s ability to exercise control over their bodies, and live a life free from violence. By understanding the links between women’s economic empowerment, gender-based violence, and sexual and reproductive health and rights, we are better positioned to ensure a solid foundation for empowerment overall.

Given many shared objectives between programmes and policies working to promote and advance women’s economic empowerment, their sexual and reproductive health and rights, and freedom from gender-based violence, CARE Australia and UNFPA Asia Pacific Regional Office collaborated to develop this think piece.

In unpacking and drawing connections between these dovetailing areas, we hope the observations, reflections and recommendations presented here inspire further collaboration between agencies and individuals working to advance gender equality throughout Asia and the Pacific.