Our Changing World and Implications for Reproductive Health

Our Changing World and Implications for Reproductive Health

Changing contextMore large emergencies• Four Level 3’s (Iraq, Syria, CAR, S.Sudan)• 3,000,000 Syrian refugees scattered across five countries

New threats; higher levels of insecurity• ISIS, Boko Haram

A health issue becomes a global crisis• Ebola West Africa 20,650 infected; 8,153 dead

• Largest number of people displaced by conflict since WWII• Syria – 10.8 million affected by

the conflict, ½ of population. 6.45 million internally displaced, 3 million refugees • 1.4 million internally displaced in

S.Sudan since Dec 2013• NGOs and donors stretched as

never before• Lesser crises & protracted crises

– Libya, Honduras, Sahel, Ukraine, Somalia, Afghanistan… falling off the map

Changing Actors• Gulf States• Islamic NGOs• Militaries• For-profits

Changing rhetoric• Humanitarian system – not fit for

purpose• Northern and western normative

constructs on aid – outdated• System is “not delivering”• MSF – Where is Everyone report

Changing practice• Needs out-stripping resources (personnel & financial)• Policy and guidance development out-stripping practice• Overwhelming responders with guidance, tools, standards –

mismatch with skillsets, available time, and capacity• Increased specialization & expertise but not getting basics

right/addressed• Donors and HQs increasingly out of sync with field practice

Implications for Reproductive Health• How do we advance reproductive health in such contexts? • Role of the IAWG?