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In the past 20 years, progress has been made towards universal sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in East and Southern Africa. However, millions still lack universal access to comprehensive SRHR in the region, which includes 23 diverse countries with over 670 million people, nearly one third of whom are aged 10 to 24 years.
'Universal comprehensive SRHR' in operational terms could mean ensuring universal access to nine bundles of SRHR services through people-centered, gender-transformative, and life course-based approaches, which leave no one behind in development and humanitarian settings.
Additionally, progress has been made towards achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in the region. UHC means ‘all people have access to the health care they need, when and where they need it, without facing financial hardships’. It includes the full spectrum of essential quality health services, from health promotion to prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and palliative care across the life course.
To better understand the current situation in terms of which SRHR services are included in the country-specific UHC5 initiatives, assessments titled ‘SRHR in UHC’ were undertaken in nine ESA countries (Ethiopia, Botswana, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Namibia, Zambia, Uganda and South Sudan), with support from UNFPA East and Southern Africa Regional Office.