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Dept for International Development

Answer

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what progress the Government have made towards meeting the Millennium Development Goal on reproductive health by 2015; and if he will make a statement. [183663] Mr. Gareth Thomas: While there is not a Millennium Development Goal (MDG) for reproductive health, we remain firmly committed to the target agreed at the 1994 Cairo International Conference on Population and Development of achieving access to reproductive health for all by 2015. DFID believes that population and reproductive health issues are fundamental to efforts to tackle poverty and achieve the MDGs. Reproductive health especially embraces three health related MDGs--those to reduce child mortality, improve maternal health, and to combat and prevent HIV/AIDS as well as tackling income poverty and gender inequality. Without progress in improving access to reproductive health it is unlikely that these MDGs will be met. There is much progress since 1994 to celebrate-- countries have turned ICPD commitments into policies and action, increased access to a range of family planning options, and in some countries cut maternal deaths. But still too many poor women, men and young people in developing countries are denied their right to sexual and reproductive health. 120 million couples do not have access to the family planning services and contraception they need. Every year, 529,000 women die from complications of pregnancy and childbirth and three million children die in the first week of life. Millions live with HIV and sexually transmitted bacterial infections that are mainly preventable. On Tuesday 6 June, the Secretary of State launched DFID's Position Paper on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights. It describes progress to date and sets out what remains to be done. It will form the basis for planning our future investment and activities and our work with partners. The same day the Secretary of State announced increased funding for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). The UK will be providing £80 million over four years (2004-07) in core funding to UNFPA to support its work on sexual and reproductive health and rights, population and development, and gender. UNFPA's work is also a critical part of HIV/ AIDS prevention efforts within the framework of the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

423 c1011-2W; 183663

Session

2003-04

Subjects

Access Death Developing countries Health services International assistance Disease control HIV/AIDS Family planning Infant mortality Childbirth Maternity services Pregnancy Reproduction Sexually transmitted infections

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk