SDC Mid March, the 31. Board meeting of the Human Reproduction Programme (HRP) took place in Geneva. HRP’s mandate is to promote, coordinate, support, conduct and evaluate research in sexual and reproductive health and rights, with particular focus on developing countries. The programme is hosted and executed by WHO and co-sponsored by UNFPA, UNICEF, the World Bank, UNDP and WHO. Numerous observers, including Medicus Mundi Switzerland, participated in the Board meeting. Switzerland, through SDC, supports HRP with CHF 1.25 Mio annually and has a seat in the Board. To learn about the latest HRP products which have been presented at the Board, check out the HRP Website and HRP Annual Report and subscribe to the HRP Newsletter. (Photo: Mission to Sikikédé/hdptcar/flickr, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)
BioMedCentral Universal access to contraceptives is still no reality at all. Adolescents are affected disproportionately from this gap, with far-reaching consequences for their reproductive and economic development as well as for their children and the society in which they live. The international community has recognized this and declared it to a top priority in the SDGs as well as in the recently held family planning summit: Through action, new methods and extended approaches, everything have to be done to enable the right for contraception to all young people. (Photo: TIZEZEW, campaigns to end child marriage, Ethiopia / UK Department for International Development / flickr, CC BY 2.0)
MMS/aidsfocus.ch MMS/aidsfocus.ch participated at the Global Fund Board Meeting, Kigali, 3 – 4 May 2017 - At the beginning of May the board of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM) met in Kigali. Martin Leschhorn Strebel, civil society representative in the Swiss delegation reports.
World Health Organisation (WHO) The working group's report stresses that governments do not pay enough attention to the link between health and human rights and should invest much more in the implementation of human rights, in particular to improve the health of women, children and adolescents. If we do not put human rights and the right to health, which are mutually dependent, at the center of our work, we will not reach the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, warns the high-level commission. As an example, they remind at the current threats to the sexual and reproductive rights of women and adolescence worldwide, including the right of safe abortion, which attack the hard-won advantages. (Photo: The wedding night: "It was such a shock" / DFID / flickr, CC BY 2.0)
Medicus Mundi Switzerland The Network Medicus Mundi Switzerland is proud to present the “Survey among Medicus Mundi Switzerland Members on Human Rights-Based Approaches to Sexual and Reproductive Health”. The main purpose of this survey was to explore the experiences of MMS network members, including their partner organisations in operationalizing the human rights-based approach (HRBA) in the field of sexual and reproductive health.
MMS/aidsfocus.ch UNAIDS has set ambitious targets for 2020: 90% of all people living with HIV will know their HIV status, 90% of all people diagnosed with HIV will have access to treatment, and 90% of the people receiving treatment will have suppressed the virus to an undetectable level. Using this 90-90-90 strategy, UNAIDS aims to end the HIV epidemic by 2030. This target can only be achieved through concentrated efforts.
MMS Gender equality, abortion, child marriage, quality of maternal care, violence against women and investment in Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, new technology and innovative solutions were just some of the topics discussed at Women Deliver 2016, the world's largest conference on women's and girls’ health, rights and wellbeing. A total of 5’700 participants from 194 countries joined the event - including government ministers, policy makers, business leaders and representatives of non-governmental organisations, members of civil society organisations, youth, activists, royal family members and celebrities - to discuss how to improve the lives of girls and women by the SDG target date of 2030. A report written by Carine Weiss, Carolyn Blake and Leah F. Bohle.
Reproductive Health Journal "Researchers and implementers working in adolescent health, and adolescents themselves question whether government-run health services in conservative and resource-constrained settings can be made adolescent friendly. This paper aims to find out what selected low and middle income country (LMIC) governments have set out to do to improve the quality of health service provision to adolescents; whether their efforts led to measurable improvements in quality and to increased health service-utilization by adolescents." (Photo: bass_nroll / flickr)
The Guardian A recent Lancet study showes that children who are breastfed for longer have higher IQs, lower death rates and less risk of infection than those who are breastfed for shorter periods or not at all, the research found. Breastfeeding may also protect against diabetes and obesity later in life. Despite these proven benefits, however, only 37% of children aged six months and under in lower- and middle-income countries are exclusively breastfed. This failure of breastfeeding should not be seen solely as the responsibility of the woman, but also in the lack of support for mothers and aggressive formula milk industry, research finds. (Photo Unicef Ethiopia / flickr)
The Guardian Pregnancies and childbirth in humanitarian crises pose disproportionate risk on women and adolescent girls. Sixty percent of preventable cases of maternal mortality attribute to women who have been affected by conflict, natural disasters or flight. The World Population Report 2015 appeals to protect the rights of women and girls in humanitarian crises. (Photo © flickr)
The Lancet Healthy women, valued and respected, are a win for societies and a crucial prerequisite in order to reach the sustainable development goals. The new concept of the Lancet Commission on "Women and Health" takes a completely different view on female health. So far reproductive health of women was the most important issue, now by using a more holistic approach all influences on women's health in the course of her life should be considered. Women's health is disporportionaly influenced by gender, social and societal determinants, which represent a particular challenge.
MMS It has now been twenty years since the International Conference on Population and Development (ICDP) in Cairo set up new measures and principles concerning sexual and reproductive health. This conference showed how questions of population growth and social and economic development can only be tackled by taking up a rights-based approach.
WHO Addressing adolescents is key to strengthen sexual and reproductive health. A WHO-led Special Supplement to the Journal of Adolescent Health, states "that progress for adolescent sexual and reproductive health and rights (ASRHR), has been ‘limited and patchy’." (Photo: WHO/Hauranitai Shulika)
The Guardian On the occasion of World Aids Day 2014 a parliamentarian group of british MPs have published a report that shows, that two-thirds of adults with HIV, and three-quarters of the children, are not on treatment. Pamela Nash, president of the cross-party group, told The Guardian: “This is a stark warning to governments, including the UK, that if we fail to address the barriers to access we will ultimately lose the battle to control and end the epidemic."
MMS It has now been twenty years since the International Conference on Population and Development (ICDP) in Cairo set new principles and criteria on sexual and reproductive health and rights. The ICDP exposed the fact that issues of population increase and social as well as economic growth can only be brought forward with a rights based approach.
At this year’s symposium we will be addressing these obstacles and emphasising that the results of Cairo 1994 are still of utmost importance to international health cooperation.
At the centre of our discussions we have set young people, who are the key group we need to be working with in order to improve health for women and girls, mothers and children. Which obstacles do we need to overcome in order to grant youth’s access to health services? How should health services for sexual and reproductive health be modelled in order to be more youth-friendly? What kind of social environment is required for youths themselves to be able to stand up for their right to health?
CRR "Since 1998, the Center for Reproductive Rights has produced The World’s Abortion Laws map to visually compare the legal status of induced abortion in different countries—and to advocate for greater progress in ensuring access to safe and legal abortion services for all women worldwide. The World Abortion Laws Map 2014 was launched in commemoration of the 20-year anniversary of the International Conference on Population and Development Programme of Action. The legal status of abortion is an important indicator of women’s ability to enjoy their reproductive rights. Legal restrictions on abortion often cause high levels of illegal and unsafe abortion, and there is a proven link between unsafe abortion and maternal mortality. We offer this publication as a resource for human rights advocates working on abortion law reform—and as a means of both tracking progress and identifying the challenges that must still be overcome."
aidsfocus.ch is a Swiss specialist platform on HIV/AIDS and international cooperation, a voluntary merger of organisations involved in international cooperation focused on supporting people affected by HIV/AIDS. aidsfocus is a project of the Network Medicus Mundi Switzerland.
The partners of the aidsfocus.ch platform share the joint vision that a future without AIDS is possible. Access to comprehensive HIV prevention, treatment and care is a right that needs to be respected and realized for all people globally.
MMS/aidsfocus.ch MMS / aidsfocus.ch was asked to represent the civil society in the Swiss delegation to the High Level Meeting on HIV/AIDS, to be held in New York from 8 to 10 June 2016. This meeting is co-facilitated by Switzerland and Zambia on behalf of the President of the UN General Assembly. Since the adoption of the Millennium Development Goals this meeting has taken place every five years, the last time in 2011. The adopted political declarations, to which Switzerland has contributed significantly, influenced the fight against HIV / AIDS worldwide. The political declaration, which is expected in June, provides an important basis for achieving to eliminate AIDS epidemic by 2030 (target 3.3) and the Agenda 2030 in general.
MMS/aidsfocus.ch 35th Global Fund Board Meeting, 26-27 April 2016 in Abidjan - The Global Fund Board has approved the new strategy to guide the organization for the next six years. MMS/aidsfocus.ch participated at the 35th Board Meeting in Abidjan. Important decision points were approved.
MMS/aidsfocus.ch Since last year, MMS/aidsfocus.ch has been a part of the Swiss delegation within the Canadian and Australian "constituency" to the Board of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. We are tasked with bringing in the voices, concerns and wishes of civil society in order to bridge the gap between the donor, meaning Switzerland, and the implementers and final beneficiaries. The Board is the Global Fund's highest body – the aim is to collectively shoulder responsibility and a strong commitment is expected from all those involved.
The Guardian In contrast to international trends, "HIV is spreading (in Russia) with increasing speed, with about 95,000 new cases in 2015 compared with 90,000 in 2014, most of them from drug use and heterosexual sex. That represents a much higher per-capita rate than in the UK, for instance, where there were 6,151 new HIV diagnoses in 2014," writes the journal The Guardian in an impressive report. (Photo: Eric Constantineau / flickr)
UNAIDS UNAIDS adopted a new strategy to end the AIDS epidemic as a public health threat by 2030. The UNAIDS 2016–2021 Strategy is one of the first in the United Nations system to be aligned to the Sustainable Development Goals, which set the framework for global development policy over the next 15 years, including ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030.
MMS Zimbabwe has one of the highest HIV-rates in the world. 15 % of the population is infected. In the Newlands Clinic in Harare, which is founded by the Swiss medical doctor Professor Ruedi Lüthy, over 5500 patients are treated. Treating children and adolescents are especially challenging for the medical staff.
UNAIDS–Lancet Commission, London, 25 June 2015 - Countries most affected by HIV must focus on stopping new HIV infections and expanding access to antiretroviral treatment or risk the epidemic rebounding, urges a major new report from the UNAIDS and Lancet Commission. After more than a decade of major achievements, the AIDS response is at a crucial juncture, both in terms of its immediate trajectory and its sustainability, as well as its place in the new global health and development agendas.
MMS/aidsfocus.ch Emery Mpwate (HIV/AIDS Regional Advisor, Mission 21) writes in an article for aidsfocus.ch on sexual education in a religious context: "Our goal is zero new transmission. That is why; we have trained Pastors, leaders of Women, Men and youth fellowship on life skills-culture- sexuality-Christianity and HIV Infection. We ask them to get tested and to learn how to enjoy sex was a gift from God without any known risks."
MMS During the last 35th UNAIDS Board, taking place December 9-11 in Geneva, a series of important issues were discussed and adopted, such as the time frame of the present UNAIDS Strategy, measures to be taken to improve access to antiretroviral drugs (incl. the full use of the flexibilities under the TRIPS agreement) or the treatment, care and support of HIV-positive children. Read the Topic of the Month on our aidsfocus-Website.
SolidarMed / PLOS Medicine The Swiss based organisation SolidarMed has published a study on PLOS Medicine on HIV testing and counseling in rural Lesotho: "The success of HIV programs relies on widely accessible HIV testing and counseling (HTC) services at health facilities as well as in the community. Home-based HTC (HB-HTC) is a popular community-based approach to reach persons who do not test at health facilities. Data comparing HB-HTC to other community-based HTC approaches are very limited. This trial compares HB-HTC to mobile clinic HTC (MC-HTC)."
The Guardian On the occasion of World Aids Day 2014 a parliamentarian group of british MPs have published a report that shows, that two-thirds of adults with HIV, and three-quarters of the children, are not on treatment. Pamela Nash, president of the cross-party group, told The Guardian: “This is a stark warning to governments, including the UK, that if we fail to address the barriers to access we will ultimately lose the battle to control and end the epidemic."
aidsfocus.ch “We’ve seen a growth of experience, in political commitment, and in the mobilisation of civil societies and community activism. But the gap between those achievements and ending the epidemic is still too wide. People are still left behind”, says Sally Smith from UNAIDS at the 14th aidsfocus.ch conference on 7th May 2015 in Bern.
aidsfocus.ch Zimbabwe has one of the highest HIV-rates in the world. 15 % of the population is infected. In the Newlands Clinic in Harare, which is founded by the Swiss medical doctor Professor Ruedi Lüthy, over 5500 patients are treated. Treating children and adolescents are especially challenging for the medical staff. Topic of the month from the aidsfocus.ch partnerorganisation Swiss Aids Care International.
Sexual violence is a fundamental violation of human rights and has a direct impact on the health and wellbeing of people, especially women. Research shows that violence is a major cause of HIV transmission, but also a consequence of HIV infection. The MMS Bulletin explores how sexual and gender based violence increases vulnerability to HIV, AIDS and other STIs. It highlights current interventions to address the consequences of sexual violence on the health of women, children and men. Based on experiences and best practice, the MMS Bulletin explores programming and key actions addressing the consequences of sexual violence on HIV in protection of the survivors of sexual violence.
WHO
"The Global status report on violence prevention 2014, which reflects data from 133 countries, is the first report of its kind to assess national efforts to address interpersonal violence, namely child maltreatment, youth violence, intimate partner and sexual violence, and elder abuse. Jointly published by WHO, the United Nations Development Programme, and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the report reviews the current status of violence prevention efforts in countries, and calls for a scaling up of violence prevention programmes; stronger legislation and enforcement of laws relevant for violence prevention; and enhanced services for victims of violence."
PLOS Medicine
Whilst ostensibly ambitious, several high-income countries, including the United States, have reduced rates of some forms of violence by 50% or more over a very short period of time, and such reductions are supported by historical trends of reduced homicide over several centuries in several European countries [6]–[8]. There is no real evidence, however, that violence against women is reducing in low- and middle-income countries," writes Rachel Jewkes for PLOS Medicine. (Photo: Prevention in Moçambique, terre des hommes schweiz, zVg)
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