Reproductive Health Strategy

This is the World Health Organization's first global strategy on reproductive health. It was adopted by the 57th World Health Assembly (WHA) in May 2004.

According to WHO, reproductive and sexual ill-health accounts for 20% of the global burden of ill-health for women, and 14% for men.

"Five priority aspects of reproductive and sexual health are targeted in the strategy: improving antenatal, delivery, 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 gynaecological morbidities; and promoting sexual health."

The strategy was developed as a result of extensive consultations in all regions with representatives from ministries of health, professional associations, non-governmental organisations, United Nations partners and other key stakeholders. It is intended for a broad audience of policy-makers within governments, international agencies, professional associations, nongovernmental organisations and other institutions.

Part I sets out the major discrepancies between global goals and global realities, and describes the principal barriers to progress, noting in particular the inequities related to gender and poverty and the exposure to risk of adolescents. Part II lays out the strategy, which is guided by principles based on international human rights. It highlights the core aspects of reproductive and sexual health services and proposes ways for countries and WHO to take innovative approaches. It concludes by reaffirming WHO's corporate commitment to collaboration with its partners in order to encourage and support Member States in their efforts to attain the United Nations Millennium Development Goals and other internationally agreed goals and targets relating to reproductive and sexual health.