can be put off for a safer day. Thinking this way, however, can make a response blind to realities on the ground—including those that shut women and girls off from assistance or leave them vulnerable to violence. A lack of concerted attention is fed in part by a very limited amount of data broken down by sex or other parameters, and by a lack of gender expertise among many first responders. Given the scale of crisis in the world today, and given who most victims are, it is time to transform the conventional approach into one that takes account of diversity in crisis-affected populations, and wields that diversity for the benefit of reduced risk, faster recovery and greater resilience. Move sexual and reproductive health to the centre of humanitarian action
Until only 20 years ago, sexual and reproductive health took a back seat to priorities such as water, food and shelter in humanitarian response. But
Remarkable progress in targeting humanitarian services to women and girls has been achieved in the past decade. Still, large gaps remain, in action and in funding.
a wealth of research and evidence since the early 1990s has helped make the health of women and girls far more visible. Many humanitarian interventions now meet needs associated with pregnancy and childbirth, and seek to prevent and address vulnerabilities to sexual or gender-based violence and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV. Not only is it more widely accepted that meeting these needs is a humanitarian imperative and a matter of upholding and respecting human
ESSENTIAL ACTIONS AND SERVICES FROM THE ONSET OF A CRISIS
PRIORITY SERVICES • Emergency obstetric and newborn care • Referral system for obstetric emergencies • Supplies for clean and safe deliveries
OBJECTIVES Prevent maternal and infant mortality Reduce transmission of HIV
• Contraception • Condoms • Anti-retrovirals • Clinical care for survivors of rape
Prevent and manage the consequences of sexual violence
THE STATE OF WORLD POPULATION 2015
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