2018 Amelie Sow-Dia, Courtesy of Photoshare

Universal health coverage (UHC) is rapidly emerging as an essential framework to promote healthy lives and wellbeing for all people (SDG 3). As countries define their UHC policies and programmes, there is a unique opportunity to ensure that UHC efforts include sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) interventions that are grounded in evidence and based on principles of gender equality and equity in access. Improving the health of women, girls and adolescents, including their SRHR, is at the centre of UHC’s broad health and development goals, and critical to their achievement.

In keeping with the Every Woman Every Child Partners’ Framework and the PMNCH 2018-2020 Business Plan, PMNCH members and allies are proud to launch a global call to action for the full recognition and inclusion of SRHR in UHC. “Sexual and reproductive health and rights: An essential element to achieving universal health coverage” highlights the concrete steps national governments and the global community can take to ensure the highest attainable standard of health for women, girls and adolescents through their UHC programmes. It builds on existing evidence demonstrating the positive impact of a comprehensive package of SRHR interventions on health and wellbeing and provides direction on how to approach programme planning and financing. The call to action was developed through a consultative process that began during the Fall of 2018.To add your voice and strengthen the call for the inclusion of SRHR in UHC, please sign on now.

Why now and what can we do?

2018 TEENSLINK UGANDA, Courtesy of Photoshare

2019 will see several key opportunities for shaping the UHC agenda, including the United Nations High-Level Meeting on UHC (23 September) in New York. National governments are also working to develop UHC policies and programmes and integrate them into their health benefits packages. It’s critical to build on this momentum and advocate for an inclusive health for all agenda at the global, regional and national levels.

National governments, donors, and technical agencies who will be shaping the UHC agenda and defining the essential package of interventions need to hear that SRHR is seen by civil society and partners as an essential element of UHC. Signing on to the call to action is a first step, but there is much more that can be done, including:

• Meeting with policymakers at all levels to share key facts and messages from the call to action, and urge them to follow its recommendations
• Reaching out to coalitions and networks to develop joint advocacy actions that incorporate the call for SRHR in UHC
• Sharing your own experiences and lessons learned about SRHR and UHC with key stakeholders and actively participating in global, regional and national convenings

The call to action will be spotlighted at key events throughout the year, including: the Africa Health Agenda International Conference in Kigali (3-7 March); the World Health Assembly (20-28 May); Women Deliver (3-6 June); the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (9-18 July); UN General Assembly (23 September); and the Nairobi Summit for ICPD 25 (13-15 November).

Process and timeline

Organisational signatories are being accepted now on a rolling basis. To ensure you are a part of this movement in the lead-up to the UN High-Level Meeting on UHC, please complete this sign-on form; we ask that you indicate your organisation’s constituency and where it is based geographically. Please send any questions to SRHRinUHC@gmail.com