HRP annual report 2021

The right to sexual and reproductive health for the well-being of individuals, families and communities, and for sustainable development by countries is internationally recognized.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); the UN Secretary-General’s Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health; the WHO Reproductive Health Strategy; and the Programme of Action of the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development all reflect a collective vision that underlines the importance of protecting all people’s human rights to access information and services that will enable them to achieve the highest standards of sexual and reproductive health. While great progress has been made since HRP was established in 1972, huge challenges remain. A substantial proportion of women and couples are unable to plan whether and when to have children and how many to have. Too many women and newborns continue to die before, during and after childbirth. Violence against women and girls – including harmful traditional practices – is widespread and a human rights violation. Many individuals and couples are still unable to access information and services to ensure their sexual, reproductive, maternal and perinatal health, putting their health, well-being and lives at risk. Humanitarian crises and disease outbreaks threaten lives, livelihoods, health, and access to services for millions. And there are now more adolescents than at any time in history, greatly increasing demand for high-quality services that meet their needs. Better data are key. Accurate service statistics through robust health management information systems help front-line health workers to provide better services and care and enable managers to plan for equitable implementation; rigorously and ethically collected evidence improves estimates of health conditions and strategic planning to address priority needs; and information from intervention and implementation research informs policy, budgeting and programming at scale. Without continuing investments in research, as well as in improving the capacity of countries to conduct and use research, it is unlikely that national primary health systems will be able to effectively implement globally agreed norms and standards of care, or to achieve the goal of universal health coverage (UHC).
For over 45 years, HRP has been conducting research with international and national partners to improve sexual and reproductive health and to safeguard the human rights of all people everywhere. We invite you to join us in our efforts – with your help, we can continue to improve lives worldwide.