WHO Executive Board meets in Geneva to finalise strategy papers.

International News Highlights in Sexual and Reproductive Health & Rights
Board aims to finally approve the WHO Strategy Paper on Sexual and Reproductive Health. Dr. Steve Sinding of IPPF urged WHO Executive Board officials to uphold the principles of the Reproductive Health Strategy, in the face of expected US opposition during discussions to approve the strategy in Geneva this week.

He said:

The WHO Reproductive Health Strategy has been developed towards achievement of the international development goals and targets related to reproductive health. These include not only the Millennium Development Goals but also those from ICPD (International Conference on Population and Development) and ICPD+5. The Strategy is anchored in the ICPD agenda, and is underpinned by human rights instruments and principles. The main goals of the strategy paper are:
  • improving antenatal, perinatal, postpartum and newborn care;
  • providing high-quality services for family planning, including infertility services;
  • eliminating unsafe abortion;
  • combating sexually transmitted infections including HIV, reproductive tract infections, cervical cancer and other gynecological morbidities; and
  • promoting sexual health. The inter-linkages among all these aspects are highlighted.
This will no doubt be vigorously opposed by the US government who, since the election of George Bush, has become increasingly anti-choice, and has used international fora and conferences to dilute the concept of reproductive health and to reject some of the language agreed by 189 governments, including the US Government, at the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) held in Cairo in September 1994.

SOURCE: Dr. Steve Sinding, IPPF &ISRRC Action Alert, 21/Jan/04

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