Editoral.

• Author: Kagoiya, Rachel

Reproductive health is not just an individual one-time concern but a lifetime concern for both women and men from childhood to old age. The importance of sexual reproductive health, and increasingly sexual reproductive rights, has broadened as reflected in several key international agreements. The 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) Programme of Action 1 and the 1995 Beijing Platform for Action 2 both recognize sexual and reproductive rights as inalienable, integral and indivisible parts of universal human rights. In 2000, world governments committed themselves to eradicate extreme poverty by 2015 by attaining the internationally agreed targets commonly known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Although the goal for universal access to reproductive health was not included as an explicit goal within the eight MDGs, five of these goals underpin the attainment of universal access to sexual and reproductive heath and rights: MDG 1 (Poverty), MDG 3 (Gender equality), MDG 4 (Child health), MDG 5 (Maternal health) and MDG 6 (Combating HIV/AIDS and other diseases).

Sexual and reproductive health rights are a cornerstone of development and attaining the goals of sustainable, equitable development requires that both women and men are able to exercise control over their sexual and reproductive lives. Today, the neglect of sexual and reproductive health and rights has resulted to many problems that the international community has identified as in need of urgent action. These include gender-based violence, sexually transmitted diseases including HIV/ AIDS, maternal mortality, early and forced marriages, teenage pregnancy, unsafe abortion, abandoned children, harmful attitudes and practices such as female genital mutilation and rapid population growth. This massive denial of human rights causes the death of millions of people every year with many more being permanently injured or infected. Sadly, majority of these are in developing countries--and worse still, the highest percentage is that of women.

Several reproductive health issues are related to one another and they are affected by policies and programs and their implications for individuals and societies. In this issue of FEMNET News, we share with you various articles that give unique insights into emerging and innovative technologies for advancing sexual and reproductive health rights in Africa. We begin our newsletter with a summary of the ongoing sexual and...