Informing humanitarians worldwide 24/7 — a service provided by UN OCHA

Ethiopia

Linking research to action to address unintended pregnancy in refugee settings in Ethiopia

Attachments

Abstract

Humanitarian crises expose women and girls to the risk of unintended pregnancy due to disruptions in access to and provision of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services. Evidence available to support and shape improved family planning programming in refugee settings is sparse, and little is known about how to effectively deliver such programming to the most vulnerable, including women and girls. The Baobab Research Programme Consortium (RPC) is exploring how access to SRHR services can be expanded using existing, low-cost approaches, and how such approaches be communicated and scaled up in refugee settings. We propose harnessing existing food distribution and refugee verification platforms as a strategic avenue for reaching women with family planning information and counseling, coupled with strengthened referral procedures between these platforms and health facilities for actual family planning provision and uptake.