Sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR)
Currently, 214 million women in developing countries have unmet needs for modern family planning methods.x Many women and girls are being exposed to avoidable gender-specific health risks.
Avoid common cause of death through care:
- Complications during pregnancy and childbirth are the leading cause of death worldwide for girls aged 15 to 19 years. Global HIV rates among young women and girls are twice as high than for their male counterparts.
- Maternal mortality could be reduced to a third of the current figure if all women had access to the care recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
In countries of the Global South, a woman dies in childbirth, or as a result of it, every two minutes.
Women's social positioning often means they have few opportunities to participate in decisions about sexuality and family planning. For many girls, early pregnancy means the end of their education thereby reducing their chances of participating in the labour market and achieving economic independence. Giving boys and men information and access to counselling and sex education is also essential to achieving SRHR for women and girls.
Info: When women and girls have access to modern contraceptive methods, comprehensive sex education and high-quality health services, they can, for example, take family planning into their own hands and have greater control over their lives.
Improving access to family planning contributes to lower birth rates throughout society and thus to sustainable population growth. When women are guaranteed their sexual and reproductive rights, when they can act with greater self-determination and plan their lives, society as a whole and sustainable development will benefit.
Footnotes
- Source: UNFPA (2018) About Us