Sexual & reproductive health

Overview

Good sexual and reproductive health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-
being in all matters relating to the reproductive system. It implies that people are able to have
a satisfying and safe sex life, the capability to reproduce, and the freedom to decide if, when,
and how often to do so.

To maintain one’s sexual and reproductive health, people need access to accurate information
and the safe, effective, affordable and acceptable contraception method of their choice. They
must be informed and empowered to protect themselves from sexually transmitted infections.
And when they decide to have children, women must have access to services that can help
them have a fit pregnancy, safe delivery and healthy baby.

Every individual has the right to make their own choices about their sexual and reproductive
health. UNFPA, together with a wide range of partners, works toward the goal of universal
access to sexual and reproductive health and rights, including family planning.

1. What is good sexual and reproductive health?

2. What does it imply?

3. Why doe people need access to accurate information and the safe, effective,
affordable and acceptable contraception method of their choice?

4. What does themselves refer to?

5. What does they refer to? ….. when they decide to have children…..

What is Reproductive health and development

UNFPA works to ensure sexual and reproductive health and rights remain at the very centre
of development. The International Conference on Population and Development draws a clear
connection between reproductive health, human rights and sustainable development. When
sexual and reproductive health needs are not met, individuals are deprived of the right to
make crucial choices about their own bodies and futures, with a cascading impact on their
families’ welfare and future generations. And because women bear children, and also often
bear the responsibility for nurturing them, sexual and reproductive health and rights issues
cannot be separated from gender equality. Cumulatively, the denial of these rights
exacerbates poverty and gender inequality.

6. Why do UNFPA work?

7. When are individuals deprived of the right to make crucial choices about their own
bodies and futures?

8. What do you know about gender equality?

Key concerns

People queue outside a reproductive health clinic in Viet Nam. ©UNFPA/Doan Bau Chau

This is seen most acutely in developing countries, where reproductive health problems are a
leading cause of ill health and death for women and girls of childbearing age. Impoverished
women suffer disproportionately from unintended pregnancies, unsafe abortion, maternal
death and disability, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), gender-based violence, and other
related problems.

Young people are also extremely vulnerable, often facing barriers to sexual and reproductive
health information and care. Young people are disproportionately affected by HIV, for
example, and every year millions of girls face unintended pregnancies, exposing them to risks
during childbirth or unsafe abortions and interfering with their ability to go to school.
Adolescent reproductive health is therefore another important focus of UNFPA’s work.

UNFPA also works to prevent and address STIs, which take an enormous toll around the
world. More than a million people acquire an STI every single day. Without diagnosis and
treatment, some STIs, such as HIV or syphilis, can be fatal. STIs can also cause pregnancy-
related complications, including stillbirth, congenital infections, sepsis and neonatal death.
STIs like human papillomavirus (HPV) can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility
and cervical cancer, a major killer of women.

9. Explain the word transmitted. ….. transmitted infections ……

10. Find the synonym of extremely. …..in extremely vulnerable

11. What does STIs stand for?

12. What can STIs cause?

A life cycle approach

Reproductive health is a lifetime concern for both women and men, from infancy to old age.
Evidence shows that reproductive health in any of these life stages has a profound effect on
one's health later in life. UNFPA supports programmes tailored to the different challenges
people face at different times in their lives, including comprehensive sexuality education,
family planning, antenatal and safe delivery care, post-natal care, services to prevent sexually
transmitted infections (including HIV), and services facilitating early diagnosis and treatment
of reproductive health illnesses (including breast and cervical cancer).

To support reproductive health throughout the life cycle, services across a variety of sectors
must be strengthened, from health and education systems to even transport systems – which
are required to ensure health care is accessible. And all efforts to support sexual and
reproductive health rely on the availability of essential health supplies, such as
contraceptives, life-saving medicines and basic medical equipment.

13. Find an example of sexually transmitted infections in the passage

14. What does all efforts to support sexual and reproductive health rely on?

15. Explain the meaning accessible

UNFPA’s work

UNFPA's work on improving sexual and reproductive health is a key effort towards
achieving Sustainable Development Goal 3, which calls for good health and well-being. It
also advances Goal 5, which calls for gender equality, as well as many of the other goals
included in the 2030 Agenda.

UNFPA works with governments, other UN agencies, civil society and donors to develop
comprehensive efforts to ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health care.
UNFPA advocates for integrating the delivery of these services into primary health care, so it
is as accessible as possible. This means, for instance, that a woman could address her family
planning, antenatal care, HIV testing and general health needs all in one place.

UNFPA is a major provider of condoms, which offer one of the most effective forms of protection
against STIs, including HIV.

UNFPA is also working with governments and communities to strengthen health systems,
including supporting the implementation of reproductive health programmes, improving the
quality of reproductive health care and strengthening human resources. UNFPA also works to
make sure reproductive health commodities are available where needed, and that a
functioning logistics system is in place. The Maternal Health Thematic Fund and UNFPA
Supplies are just two examples of UNFPA’s work in strengthening health systems and quality
services.
While strengthening national systems, UNFPA also puts special emphasis on increasing
access for disadvantaged groups, including young people, the urban poor, rural communities,
indigenous populations and women with disabilities.

16. What is UNFPA?

17. What is Goal 3 of UNFPA?

18. Give samples of disadvantaged groups in the passage.

Reproductive health and development

UNFPA works to ensure sexual and reproductive health and rights remain at the very centre
of development. The International Conference on Population and Development draws a clear
connection between reproductive health, human rights and sustainable development. When
sexual and reproductive health needs are not met, individuals are deprived of the right to
make crucial choices about their own bodies and futures, with a cascading impact on their
families’ welfare and future generations. And because women bear children, and also often
bear the responsibility for nurturing them, sexual and reproductive health and rights issues
cannot be separated from gender equality. Cumulatively, the denial of these rights
exacerbates poverty and gender inequality.

19. International Conference on Population and Development. What connection does it

draw?

20. Why can sexual and reproductive health and rights issues not be separated from
gender equality?

Key concerns

This is seen most acutely in developing countries, where reproductive health problems are a
leading cause of ill health and death for women and girls of childbearing age. Impoverished
women suffer disproportionately from unintended pregnancies, unsafe abortion, maternal
death and disability, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), gender-based violence, and other
related problems.

Young people are also extremely vulnerable, often facing barriers to sexual and reproductive
health information and care. Young people are disproportionately affected by HIV, for
example, and every year millions of girls face unintended pregnancies, exposing them to risks
during childbirth or unsafe abortions and interfering with their ability to go to school.
Adolescent reproductive health is therefore another important focus of UNFPA’s work.

UNFPA also works to prevent and address STIs, which take an enormous toll around the
world. More than a million people acquire an STI every single day. Without diagnosis and
treatment, some STIs, such as HIV or syphilis, can be fatal. STIs can also cause pregnancy-
related complications, including stillbirth, congenital infections, sepsis and neonatal death.
STIs like human papillomavirus (HPV) can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility
and cervical cancer, a major killer of women.

21. What does them refer to? ……exposing them to risks…..

 22. What is other important focus of UNFPA’s work?

A life cycle approach

Reproductive health is a lifetime concern for both women and men, from infancy to old age.
Evidence shows that reproductive health in any of these life stages has a profound effect on
one's health later in life. UNFPA supports programmes tailored to the different challenges
people face at different times in their lives, including comprehensive sexuality education,
family planning, antenatal and safe delivery care, post-natal care, services to prevent sexually
transmitted infections (including HIV), and services facilitating early diagnosis and treatment
of reproductive health illnesses (including breast and cervical cancer).

To support reproductive health throughout the life cycle, services across a variety of sectors
must be strengthened, from health and education systems to even transport systems – which
are required to ensure health care is accessible. And all efforts to support sexual and
reproductive health rely on the availability of essential health supplies, such as
contraceptives, life-saving medicines and basic medical equipment.

23. Why must services across a variety of sectors be strengthened?

UNFPA’s work

UNFPA's work on improving sexual and reproductive health is a key effort towards
achieving Sustainable Development Goal 3, which calls for good health and well-being. It
also advances Goal 5, which calls for gender equality, as well as many of the other goals
included in the 2030 Agenda.

UNFPA works with governments, other UN agencies, civil society and donors to develop
comprehensive efforts to ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health care.
UNFPA advocates for integrating the delivery of these services into primary health care, so it
is as accessible as possible. This means, for instance, that a woman could address her family
planning, antenatal care, HIV testing and general health needs all in one place.

UNFPA is a major provider of condoms, which offer one of the most effective forms of protection
against STIs, including HIV.

UNFPA is also working with governments and communities to strengthen health systems,
including supporting the implementation of reproductive health programmes, improving the
quality of reproductive health care and strengthening human resources. UNFPA also works to
make sure reproductive health commodities are available where needed, and that a
functioning logistics system is in place. The Maternal Health Thematic Fund and UNFPA
Supplies are just two examples of UNFPA’s work in strengthening health systems and quality
services.

While strengthening national systems, UNFPA also puts special emphasis on increasing
access for disadvantaged groups, including young people, the urban poor, rural communities,
indigenous populations and women with disabilities.

24. When is the target of Goal 5 of UNFPA?

25. Find the words that mean for example in the passage