Governments should prioritize sexual and reproductive health services in conflict and disaster settings, as reproductive violence is often associated with crises but women and girls are usually deprioritized during such times, experts said during a Devex event Wednesday.
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Too often, sexual and reproductive health and rights, or SRHR, are seen as political rather than as essential life-and-death issues, said Sarah Rich, associate director of the sexual and reproductive health program at the Women’s Refugee Commission, during the event, which was held on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
“This has really been amplified during the COVID-19 pandemic as governments and other decision-makers have been in a position to decide which health services they think are lifesaving and should be continued to be provided and which ones can be paused,” she said.
Why it matters: Juliana Laguna Trujillo, an attorney with Women’s Link Worldwide, said reproductive violence — which involves all the practices and acts that directly or indirectly affect the right to reproductive autonomy — recurs during armed conflicts and humanitarian crises.
“When disaster strikes, giving women the choice and means to avoid unwanted pregnancies helps them get back on their feet and better support the families they have,” said Sanou Gning, Sahel director at MSI Reproductive Choices.
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What’s next: Gning stressed that funding for global health is shrinking while the need for SRHR is increasing, adding that aid cuts in the United Kingdom have “left a large whole to fill” in sexual and reproductive health funding.
Rich also called for more inclusive and sustainable sexual and reproductive health funding, underlining the effectiveness of providing money to local organizations.
“We know that when emergencies strike, the first people who are on the ground providing relief and providing health services are local communities, local governments, local organizations — not the international humanitarian sector,” she said. “So it's essential that we provide funding to those organizations that will be there when a crisis erupts and will stay there after the crisis subsides.”
About the author
Rumbi Chakamba
Rumbi Chakamba is a Senior Editor at Devex based in Botswana, who has worked with regional and international publications including News Deeply, The Zambezian, Outriders Network, and Global Sisters Report. She holds a bachelor's degree in international relations from the University of South Africa.
