Despite several progressive responses aimed at maintaining sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) during the Covid-19 pandemic, the availability of SRHR services and products has been restricted, and this is felt especially keenly by already-marginalised groups.
The following recommendations can embed an understanding of SRHR needs across multiple overlapping systems and structures, and use the opportunity created by Covid-19 to place SRHR firmly at the top of public health agendas and push for progressive and lasting social change.
At the macro level, there is a need for political will, concrete commitments and funding to prioritise SRHR-related services and programming. Governments can make tangible commitments at the Generation Equality Forum, the G7 and other spaces this year. It will be critical to resist further austerity and funding cuts in the wake of the pandemic and the likely recession to follow.
National-level commitments and policies need to be translated and operationalised into integrated and inclusive programming at the meso (or sub-national) level through the coordination of an inter- and multi-sectoral approach with different organisations with an interest in SRHR.
At the micro level, people-centred care approaches alongside community engagement are critical so that services are culturally appropriate, holistic, and user-friendly for girls, women and gender diverse people. Community members, including end-users, need to be involved from the design of programmes through to delivery and monitoring and evaluation.
