Centring Sexual and Reproductive Health and Justice in the Global COVID-19 Response
2020
This article from The Lancet discusses the intersection of global responses to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and reproductive health and justice. Women, girls, and vulnerable populations are likely to experience a heavier burden of the effects of the pandemic, which exacerbates existing sexual and reproductive health inequities. The authors discuss the effects of the pandemic on reproductive health thus far, noting that a disruption of services worldwide—from contraception supply to access to health providers and clinics—has since limited access to resources for essential sexual and reproductive health care services. Reduced access to family planning, abortion, antenatal, HIV, gender-based violence, and mental health care services may cause increases in unintended pregnancies, unsafe abortions, sexually transmitted infections, partner violence, and maternal and infant mortality. The authors underscore that an intersectional, human rights-centered public health response framework to COVID-19 is necessary for monitoring and addressing inequities in gender, health and the social effects of the pandemic.
Centring Sexual and Reproductive Health and Justice in the Global COVID-19 Response
Source:
Hall KS et al. Centring Sexual and Reproductive Health and Justice in the Global COVID-19 Response. The Lancet 2020; 395(10231): 1175-1177. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30801-1.