Today I announce the Australian Government will continue our partnership with the International Planned Parenthood Federation to deliver the Sexual and Reproductive Health Program in Crisis and Post Crisis Settings (SPRINT) in the Indo-Pacific region.
The Government will provide $9.5 million over three years to the SPRINT program to strengthen sexual and reproductive health, rights and support during humanitarian crises.
Sexual and reproductive health challenges are leading causes of death and disability among women and girls in the world today. SPRINT provides safer birthing environments, family planning services, HIV prevention and treatment, protection against sexual violence and assistance to survivors of rape and violence in crisis-affected places.
SPRINT is a key part of the Government's support to sexual and reproductive health and rights, which are critical to empowering women, improving gender equality, and reducing maternal and child mortality. These services help women and girls to stay healthy, remain in education, and participate equally in society and the economy when communities recover from crises.
Today's funding announcement brings our total contribution to the program to $26.3 million since 2007. Through SPRINT, Australia and the International Planned Parenthood Federation have helped over 890,000 people access sexual and reproductive health services in crisis-affected places, including in response to recent disasters in Fiji, Nepal and Vanuatu.
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