Alongside Amref and Les Afriques vous parlent, Global Health Advocates brings recommendations to France to strengthen its commitment to SRHR. In support of our advocacy activities, the publication of the Essentials Newsletter raises awareness of persistent barriers and promotes existing initiatives and calls for civil society and States’ mobilisation, in favor of access for all women and girls to sexual and reproductive health.
WHY GET INVOLVED?
It is imperative to deliver comprehensive and integrated SRHR services everywhere in the world to achieve SDGs in 2030. SRHR are essential health services and constitute a pillar for effective gender equality. International development assistance can play a crucial role in promoting and delivering SRHR. Needs are considerable :
- 214 million women in developing countries do not have access to modern contraception and an estimated 10 million adolescent girls aged 15 to 19 face unintended pregnancies each year
- 25 million unsafe abortions occur worldwide each year, causing hospitalisation of 7 million women due to complications in developing countries and between 5 and 13% of maternal deaths,
- The rate of HIV infection among adolescent girls and young girls is more than double the male population of the same age group
SRHR are a neglected area of international aid and funding is largely insufficient regarding needs. Moreover, the re-adoption of the Global Gag Rule by the United States in 2017 has had a disastrous impact on the level of international funding available for SRHR.
““Taken together, sexual and reproductive health and rights can be understood as the right of everyone, young or old, women, men or transgender, gay, lesbian or bisexual, HIV-positive or HIV-negative, to make choices about their own sexuality and reproduction, as long as they respect the other's body integrity. This definition also encompasses the right to access the information and support services necessary for these choices and to optimise health status. "”
UN Women
THE OPPORTUNITY
In june 2021, France will host the Generation Equality Forum which aims to build a roadmap to improve progress toward gender equality. Throughout six Action Coalitions, the Forum will implement a series of concrete measures in favor of women rights. As a champion of the “Bodily autonomy and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR)” Action Coalition, France should contribute to develop concrete and ambitious measures in the 2021-2025 period and bring strong fundings to this roadmap.
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