Access 2 RH Supplies

RH Supplies Featured in Final Resolution of the 42nd Session of the CPD

I am writing to follow up with good news about Project RMA’s recent advocacy efforts at the 42nd Annual Commission on Population and Development (CPD) in New York City.

We are pleased to report that Project RMA’s advocacy efforts led to RH Supplies being featured multiple times in the final resolution (still called draft but final pending technical formalities).

We learned that the initial draft did not contain reference to RH Supplies, and sent suggested language to key contacts which then became included in the initial draft sent to governments.

Project RMA was also instrumental in coordinating the SRHR community through strategy calls leading up to CPD, co-hosting an initial strategy session for NGOs prior to the CPD and convening NGOs every morning of the week of negotiations to strategize and share information.

We delivered a strong oral statement in support of RH Supplies to the Commission, which some RMA WG members endorsed as well as members of the broader NGO community focused on sexual and reproductive health and rights.

Below is a brief summary of the specific language to RH Supplies in the resolution:

* OP6 calls further upon Governments to keep commodities and supplies in mind as they formulate and implement national development plans, budgets and poverty eradication strategies.
* OP13 Reiterates the need for Governments to ensure that all women and men and young people have information about and access to family planning, with specific mention of requisite supplies.
* OP15 Recognizes that the largest generation of adolescents ever in history is now entering sexual and reproductive life and that among their needs are access to commodities, including male and female condoms.
* OP21 Recognizes the dire need to increase financial resources for the implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development, by (among other things) ensuring that funding lines for family planning programmes and commodities are included national budgets.

These successes lead to new advocacy entry points for RH Supplies advocates. Though the final resolution is non-binding, national governments have signed on to and committed to it. Advocates can use this governmental commitment to advocate for increased access to RH Supplies throughout the world. Efforts have also been successful in getting RH Supplies higher on the agenda. With significant attention devoted to RH Supplies in a global forum, it becomes elevated on the overall agenda. Finally, RH Supplies was a thread of unity in a broad agenda. Though many of the SRH NGOs present were advocating for a broad agenda, we were able to ensure that supplies were a targeted part of the overall agenda of the SRH NGO community – from individual organizations to civil society networks.

Suzanne Ehlers, Vice President, International Advocacy
Population Action International