Reproductive health, including adolescent reproductive health: progress and challenges in Asia-Pacific.

Abstract

The Asian and Pacific region has made significant progress in expanding access to sexual and reproductive health with more effective collaboration between Governments international agencies and civil society organizations. Most countries have in place policies and strategies for reproductive and sexual health information and services but their translation into programmes remains a challenge especially in reaching out to the poor and marginalized. Assessing the progress of the region as a whole and within countries is difficult owing to their huge diversity and disparity the complexities of the broad sexual and reproductive health agenda and difficulties in obtaining a reliable set of quantifiable indicators. Challenges faced during this period with competing funding for HIV and AIDS opposing voices of conservative and religious forces and the reinstating of the Mexico City Policy (through rescinded by President Obama in January 2009) have affected resources critical to achieving the International Conference on Population and Development goals. However with the additional target under Millennium Development Goal 5 to provide universal access to reproductive and sexual health there is renewed hope to move ahead to achieve both sets of goals. This paper traces the various components of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) emphasizing the areas where progress has been made as in contraceptive prevalence and usage of modern contraception methods and addresses some of the challenges faced. The paper also calls for countries to take affirmative action to address issues which are contentious and/or neglected but that are important public health concerns. Strengthening of health infrastructure and ensuring that health-care systems are fully functioning are vital for effective implementation of comprehensive quality SRH services. Finally it is the political will and allocation of adequate national resources that will make a difference to saving womens lives and improving their sexual and reproductive health.