Good sexual and reproductive health is a state of complete social, physical, and mental well-being in all aspects related to the reproductive system. This means that people can have a satisfying and safe sex life, the ability to reproduce, as well as the freedom to decide when and how often to do so.
To maintain sexual and reproductive health, people need access to accurate information and safe, effective, affordable, and acceptable contraceptive methods 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 safe pregnancy and birth and a 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 to achieve the goal of universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights, including family planning.
In Mozambique, UNFPA's main objective is to ensure greater availability and use of integrated sexual and reproductive health services (including family planning, maternal health, and HIV prevention and treatment services) that are gender-sensitive and meet human rights standards for quality of care and equity of access.
In an integrated approach to sexual and reproductive health services, UNFPA supports:
Family Planning Services
Access to voluntary and safe family planning is a human right. Family planning is fundamental to gender equality and women's empowerment and is a key factor in reducing poverty. However, around 225 million women who want to avoid pregnancy do not use safe and effective family planning methods, for reasons ranging from lack of access to information or services to lack of support from their partners or communities. Most of these women with an unmet need for contraceptives live in 69 of the world's least developed countries.
UNFPA works to support family planning by ensuring a stable and reliable supply of quality contraceptives; strengthening the National Health System; advocating for policies that support family planning; and collecting data to support this work. UNFPA also provides global leadership in increasing access to family planning by calling on partners - including governments - to develop evidence and policies, and by offering programmatic, technical, and financial assistance to developing countries.
HIV/AIDS Services
Millions of people are vulnerable to HIV infection, and AIDS remains one of the leading causes of death among women of reproductive age and young adolescents. Stigma and discrimination remain an obstacle to the realisation of people's rights, including access to information and essential HIV prevention and treatment services.
Ending the AIDS epidemic requires long-term investments. Sexual and reproductive health and rights, or rather all human rights, are essential to realizing this vision. And given their higher risk of HIV infection, young people and other key populations require ongoing support.
UNFPA promotes the integration of HIV responses with sexual and reproductive health care, part of a global strategy for universal access to prevention, care, and treatment services, including condoms. We support the empowerment of key populations, women and girls, and young people to live healthy lives and to access the services they need, free from stigma and discrimination, and all forms of gender-based violence.
Maternal Health Services
Since 1990, the world has seen a 44 percent decline in the maternal mortality ratio - a huge achievement. However, despite these gains, around 830 women still die every day from causes related to pregnancy or childbirth, which represents one woman every two minutes.
And for every woman who dies, 20 or 30 other women face complications with serious or long-term consequences. Most of these deaths and injuries are completely preventable.
Making motherhood safer is a human rights imperative, and is at the heart of UNFPA's mandate.
UNFPA works in several countries with governments, health experts, and civil society to train health workers, improve the availability of essential medicines and reproductive health services, strengthen health systems, and promote international maternal health standards.
Midwives
Midwives save lives. Well-trained midwives can help prevent around two-thirds of all maternal and newborn deaths, according to the latest State of the World's Midwives report. Likewise, they could provide 87 percent of all essential sexual, reproductive, maternal, and newborn health services. However, only 42 percent of people with midwifery skills work in the 73 countries where more than 90 percent of all maternal and newborn deaths occur.
Since 2008, UNFPA has been working with partners, governments, and policymakers to help build a well-trained, competent, and fully supported midwifery workforce in low-resource settings.
UNFPA focuses on four main areas: providing a competency-based curriculum for all midwives; developing strong regulatory mechanisms to ensure quality services; establishing and strengthening midwifery associations; and advocating increased investment in midwifery services.
Eliminating Obstetric Fistula
Obstetric fistula is one of the most serious and dramatic birth injuries. It is an opening between the birth canal and the bladder or rectum, caused by prolonged and obstructed labor without treatment. It leaves women leaking urine, feces, or both and often leads to chronic medical problems, depression, social isolation, and worsening poverty.
It is estimated that more than 2 million women in sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, the Arab region, Latin America, and the Caribbean are living with fistula, and around 50,000 to 100,000 new cases occur every year. However, it is almost entirely preventable. Its persistence is a sign that health systems are not protecting the health and human rights of the most vulnerable women and girls.
As part of the global campaign to end fistula, UNFPA provides medical supplies, training, and funds for fistula prevention, treatment, and social reintegration. UNFPA also strengthens reproductive health and emergency obstetric care to prevent fistula from occurring for the first time.
