Global Evaluation Report: Reproductive Health in Humanitarian Emergencies Remains Fatal Omission
04 Aug 2015 IRC Press Release
:: While the majority of preventable deaths in women and girls occur in crisis-affected countries, these same countries receive less than half of the amount of funding as compared to non-conflict countries.
:: Lack of access to reproductive health care is the leading cause of death and illness among women of reproductive age in the developing world. Consequences are particularly dangerous in areas affected by crisis, which are responsible for a staggering 60 percent of preventable maternal deaths.
:: Evaluation released today by the Inter-Agency Working Group (IAWG) on Reproductive Health in Crises shows that reproductive health in crisis settings remains chronically underfunded.

August 5th 2015 – Reproductive health remains drastically underfunded in humanitarian settings according to a global evaluation released today by the Inter-Agency Working Group (IAWG) on Reproductive Health in Crises. The largest gaps— including the provision of comprehensive family planning, emergency contraception and abortion care — have only marginally improved since the last global evaluation in 2002.

David Miliband, CEO of the International Rescue Committee, a steering committee member of the group, said: “Women in conflict are being short-changed by international efforts to address their reproductive health needs. Millions of women lack access to life-saving health services, despite extreme needs for family planning and obstetric care, and heightened risk of experiencing sexual violence. As the scale of humanitarian crises reaches historic proportions, we cannot betray our commitment to these paramount needs.”

Evaluation Highlights
The global evaluation finds that conflict-affected countries receive 57 percent less funding for reproductive health than those countries not experiencing conflict. While funding for reproductive health has increased since 2004, it amounts to only 43 percent of the total need.
“The international community cannot claim to prioritize saving the lives of women and children while neglecting some of the most life-saving and cost-effective interventions in health,” said Sandra Krause, Director of Reproductive Health at the Women’s Refugee Commission, another steering committee member.

Highlights of the global evaluation include:
:: Obstetric and newborn care: While obstetric and newborn care receives the largest share of the funding, money primarily supports less expensive, rather than life-saving, interventions.
:: Comprehensive family planning: Only 14 percent of funding appeals for reproductive health included family planning. Long-acting or permanent methods of contraception were rarely mentioned.
:: Abortion care: Less than 1 percent of proposals mentioned abortion, which included post-abortion care.
:: Emergency contraception beyond post-rape care: Emergency contraception was provided at less than half of facilities evaluated.
:: Clinical care for rape survivors: Providers could identify less than half of the 11 essential services that should be provided to rape victims in a clinical setting.

The evaluation’s recommendations call for:
:: Sustained, dedicated, predictable funding for reproductive health
:: Commodity management and security, including long-acting family planning methods; obstetric and newborn care, and comprehensive clinical and psychosocial care for rape survivors
:: Support for regional actors, Ministries of Health and Disaster Management, national and community-based organizations, health workers and communities themselves to lead and manage humanitarian reproductive health response

“We must seize upon this sobering evaluation and the growing momentum of worldwide efforts to expand access to reproductive health needs for women and girls around the world,” said Barbara Jackson, Global Humanitarian Director of CARE International, another steering committee member. “We look forward to working with all of our humanitarian and development colleagues to ensure that this gap is closed as quickly as possible.”