The working group on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) and HIV is an initiative of several member organisations and institutes of Be-cause Health which are specifically concerned in the implementation of the policy note “The Belgian Development Cooperation on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights” of March 2007.
The working group aims to contribute to a better sexual and reproductive health in all countries where Belgian development actors or those supported by Belgium intervene. As specific objective, it wants to facilitate the implementation of the policy note SRHR and this in the broader framework of the general health policy note. Towards this end, the working group develops tools on SRHR and HIV which can be used in the different phases in the cyclus of development programmes, from the negotiations until the evaluation.
The activities of the working group conform to the three priorities of the Belgian Development Cooperation:
- the integration of sexual and reproductive health care in general health care services,
- the fight against sexual violence and other related malpractices,
- the sexual and reproductive health care and rights during humanitarian crises, conflicts and peace construction.
Seminar on Public Private Partnerships for Reproductive Health – What does it take to succeed?
The working group organised on 21st November 2018 a seminar on Public Private Partnerships for Reproductive Health – What does it take to succeed? Consult the report here.
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past events
26/05
2021
23/04
2020
Reference documents
The Directorate-General on Development Cooperation developed strategy notes which provide concrete guidelines with regard to SRHR. Be-cause health helped to write these guidelines and is currently working on an update of the SRHR module. In preparation of a new update of the general strategy note ‘Recht op gezondheid’ (Right to healthcare), Be-cause health also prepared a new SRHR module. This module proposes guidelines in relation to the implementation of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) interventions and integration of the fight against HIV by actors of the Belgian development cooperation.
- Strategy note “Recht op Gezondheid” (The right to health) – SRHR module [not yet available online]
Guttmacher-Lancet Commission on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights:
- Accelerate Progress - Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights for All (Executive Summary)
Tools
SRHR and Young People
A quarter of the world population is aged between 10 and 24. This is about 1.8 billion young people. The world never had as many young people as today. They are about to start - or have already started - their sexual and reproductive life. Do you want to find out more about SRHR and young people – read this introduction & infographic:
Read the introduction SRHR and HIV
Most HIV infections are transmitted by sexual intercourse or during pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding. Sexually transmitted diseases (STD) can also increase the risk of HIV contagion. Sexual and reproductive health problems and HIV often share the same underlying structural causes. Therefore, it is recommended to tackle HIV and SRHR together. Do you want to find out more about SRHR and HIV – read this introduction & infographic:
SRHR and Gender
A lack of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) is both a cause and an effect of gender inequality. Gender equality refers to equal opportunities to make SRHR a reality for everyone, without any form of discrimination, coercion or violence. Do you want to find out more about SRHR and Gender – read this introduction & infographic:
E-tutorial: free online course
On the eve of the international conference on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights - She Decides in Brussels, the E-tutorial “Body and Rights” was launched. This is a trilingual website (in English, French and Dutch) with an online course on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights. www.bodyandrights.be
Seven modules & 34 presentation videos
Body & Rights consists of 7 modules each lasting 20 to 30 minutes. Based on presentation videos the e-tutorial shows the different aspects of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights. With these interactive video modules followed by multiple choice questions, everyone can learn about the different topics in just a short period of time. The e-tutorial covers a wide range of topics related to Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights: safe motherhood, sexual violence, child marriages, female genital mutilation, HIV, STDs, family planning and sexual rights. Photos, videos and infographics illustrate the learning content and make everything visually attractive.
“Why are there so many teenage mothers in developing countries?”
Alexander De Croo launches the unique e-tutorial Body & Rights which allows you to learn easily and at your own pace.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Development Cooperation Alexander De Croo supports the Be-cause health initiative: “This tool contributes to one of the main priorities of my policy: promoting Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights. Thanks to ‘Body & Rights’, all stakeholders of the Belgian development cooperation and of the Belgian foreign policy will be able to learn about Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights online. That is important because it will allow us to include these topics more significantly in development programs in the field.”
external links
- The International Centre for Reproductive Health - ICRH
- The Academic Network for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Policy - ANSER
- International Conference on Population and Development - ICPD
- United Nations Population Fund - UNFPA
- She Decides - Global movement to promote the rights of every girl and woman
Composition & members
The working group exists of representatives from the International Center for Reproductive health – ICRH/Ghent University, Sensoa, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Le Monde selon les Femmes, GAMS Belgique - Groupe pour l’Abolition des mutilations sexuelles féminines, Médecins du monde – Dokters van de Wereld, Memisa, Belgian Medical Student Association - BeMSA, FOS – Socialistische Solidariteit, ULB – Ecole de Santé Publique, Viva Afrika – Sant’ Egidio, The Walking Egg, as well as individual members and observers including representatives from the Department Foreign Affairs of the Flemish Government, the Belgian Development Cooperation – DGD, Health Unit and Gender Unit.