Sexual and Reproductive Health Framework - UNFPA

Executive summary1. The Reproductive rights and sexual andreproductive health (SRH) framework has beendeveloped to provide overall guidance and acohesive- Fund-wide response for implementingthe Reproductive Health and Rights elements ofthe UNFPA Strategic plan 2008-2011. The frameworkbuilds on the goals of the International Conferenceon Population and Development (ICPD), 1994; theMillennium Summit, 2000, with its adoption ofthe Millennium Development Goals (MDGs); the2005 World Summit; and the addition, in 2007, ofthe goal of universal access to reproductive healthto MDG 5, for improving maternal health. Thisincludes two parts: the first provides a snapshotof the progress achieved since ICPD, identifiesmajor remaining gaps and priorities and outlinesprinciples and approaches for programme planningand implementation. The second part identifies keypriorities and specific strategies for each of the SRHrelatedstrategic plan outcomes.2. Despite considerable progress since the ICPD,millions of people -- mostly disadvantagedwomen and adolescents -- still lack access to SRHinformation and services. In developing countries,about 201 million married women lack access tomodern contraceptives. There are about 340 millionnew cases of sexually transmitted infections (STIs)each year, and 6,000 young people are infected withHIV every day. Millions of women and adolescentgirls continue to suffer from death and disabilitiesduring pregnancy and childbirth.3. UNFPA will invest in four priority areas: (a) supportfor the provision of a basic package of SRH servicesincluding family planning; pregnancy-relatedservices, including skilled attendance at deliveryand emergency obstetric care; HIV preventionand diagnosis and treatment of STIs; preventionand early diagnosis of breast and cervical cancers;adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRH);and care for survivors of gender-based violence, withreproductive health commodity security (RHCS) foreach component of the package – emphasizing thekey outcomes under the Reproductive Health andRights Goal in the Strategic Plan 2008-2011; (b) theintegration of HIV prevention, management andcare in SRH services; (c) gender sensitive life-skillsbased SRH education for adolescents and youth; and(d) SRH services in emergencies and humanitariancrises.4. The first task of UNFPA and its partners will beto ensure that reproductive rights and SRH aregiven increased priority in policies, planning andbudget allocations in the health and other relevantsectors. UNFPA will strengthen its participationin programme-based approaches and sector-wideapproaches (SWAps). The placement of SRH at thecentre of policies must be reflected in budgets. Thisrequires new technical skills to strengthen thecapacity of UNFPA staff.5. A key lesson learned from the Multi-Year FundingFramework (MYFF) (2004-2007) is the need tosharpen goals and define the Fund’s uniqueniche, especially in the context of strengthenedpartnerships with other United Nationsorganizations. As a result, the strategic plancontains specific outcomes for UNFPA support. Theplan reflects the principles of national ownershipand leadership of programming, strengthenedpolicymaking, capacity development, continuedadvocacy, knowledge-sharing and South-Southcooperation – all of which are essential if the ICPDgoals and the MDGs are to be met. UNFPA is bestpositioned to rally partners to support governmentsto take leadership on the promise of improvedreproductive health as stated in MDG 4, 5 and 6particularly with the addition of the new target onuniversal access to reproductive health.Introduction6. The reproductive rights and sexual and reproductivehealth framework has been developed to provideoverall guidance for implementing the UNFPAstrategic plan 2008-2011. The framework presentsthe conceptual and operational basis for UNFPA tocontribute to achieving the goals of the Programmeof Action of the ICPD and the MDGs over a fouryear period. UNFPA is committed to acceleratingaction to achieve universal access to reproductivehealth within a rights-based, comprehensive andmultisectoral approach.7. The framework was developed to provide a cohesiveFund-wide response to address reproductive rightsand SRH by promoting, inter alia, synergies betweenthe Fund’s thematic areas and linking reproductiverights and SRH relating to both physical and mentalhealth, with population and development, gender,and adolescents and youth. Given the new aid4MAKING REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS AND SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH A REALITY FOR ALL