World Health Organization

Study Guide
Chair:

Celestine Lian

Assistant Chairs: Kellynn Khor, Priscilia Goh and Kenneth Chong

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CONTENTS PAGE

Introduction

Statement of the Problem

Historical Background

Key Topic: Female Genital Mutilation

Subtopic: Abortion

11

Subtopic: HIV/AIDS and Sexual and Reproductive Health

13

Subtopic: Sexual and Reproductive Health in Crisis Situations

14

Subtopic: Improvement of infrastructure in relation to sexual and

17

reproductive health
Concluding remarks

20

Bibliography

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INTRODUCTION

Welcome to the World Health Organization (WHO) committee of 2013! I am Celestine, your
chair for SMUN 2013 and one of the writers of this study guide.
The WHO is the international organization in charge of health within the United Nations.
The role of the WHO is to direct as well as coordinate efforts related to health, such as
setting and leading global health agendas, collecting and giving information to member
states as well as setting the norms and rules both for healthcare and healthcare
professionals, amongst other things. As the world is constantly changing and modernizing,
the organization has also evolved in order to meet the medical challenges of the 21st
century.
Founded on 7th April 1948, the WHO started out with 55 members. As of today, the WHO
has 193 states and 2 associate members, who come together every year during the World
Health Assembly to discuss and approve budgetary measures, set the annual global health
agenda and also elect a new Director-General once every five years.1 The Health Assembly
is the ultimate decision-making entity within the organization, but the WHO also employs
about 8000 staff all over the world in order to carry out the WHO objectives, which may
range from strengthening healthcare systems all the way to providing emergency medical
care in crisis situations.2

Working for health: An Introduction to the World Health Organization. WHO. 2007. WA
530.1. http://www.who.int/about/brochure_en.pdf. 4, accessed on 15/05/2013
2
Ibid., 6,8.
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The WHO has been instrumental in reducing disease all over the world, notably for
illnesses such as polio, smallpox as well as yaws, which have either been eradicated
entirely or reduced by more than 90%.3
Now that we have an understanding of what WHO does, we can move on to the main focus
of the conference. This study guide will provide you with essential information about our
topic on sexual and reproductive health so as to aid your participation during committee
sessions and crafting of resolutions.
The study guide consists of:
Statement of the Problem
Historical Background
Key Topic: Female Genital Mutilation
Subtopic: Abortion
Subtopic: HIV/AIDS and Sexual and Reproductive Health
Subtopic: Sexual and Reproductive Health in Crisis Situations
Subtopic: Improvement of infrastructure in relation to sexual and reproductive health
The Statement of the Problem serves to layout the challenges that will be faced by
participants. Next, we will provide a brief historical background of sexual and reproductive
health to allow participants a better understanding of how the status quo came about. After

Ibid., 7.
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that, we will continue with our main topic before exploring the different facets of the problem
through subtopics.
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The topic of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) is one of WHOs biggest concerns. While
the topic is often avoided and rarely discussed in many countries due to certain cultural
taboos, the implications of SRH are vast. For example, having a good system of maternal
and perinatal health can greatly reduce the infant mortality rate, which thus has economic
consequences for the country involved. Since the act of procreation is an integral part of
human life, it stands to reason that anything related to this topic may have an effect on all
parts of society.
In modernity, the topic is inexorably linked with the concept of human rights, and is
considered the basis of all action and recommendations given by the WHO. This topic
covers many issues from maternal health, abortion, sexual behavior and sexually
transmitted infections to family planning, and female genital mutilation, which include both
genders and individuals from all around the world, regardless of their socio-economic
status. As stated by the WHO, it strives for a world where all womens and mens rights to
enjoy SRH are promoted and protected, and all women and men, including adolescents
and those who are underserved or marginalized, have access to sexual and reproductive
health information and services. 4

Department of Reproductive Health and Research. WHO: About us. WHO,

http://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/about_us/en/, accessed on 15/05/2013
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Following the (non-binding) Proclamation of Teheran in 1968, the topic of reproductive

rights was increasing linked by to human rights.5 Despite efforts by some countries and
non-governmental organizations, SRH was not added to the UN Millennium Development
Goals in 2000, and yet it is still a key component to achieving them. The 2005 World
Summit however, produced a commitment to achieving universal access to SRH services
by 20156.
The WHO is a vast and powerful organization, if used and directed properly. As delegates
of the WHO, you have the power to set the course of WHO policy on sexual and
reproductive health. What issues within this key topic do you consider the most salient?
Very importantly, which issues should or should not be focused on to bring the most benefit
as well as maximum efficiency? WHO resolutions have often been instrumental in shaping
domestic policy as well as providing guidelines for the medical industry and healthcare
professionals in terms of ethical and technical issues. Your resolutions should discuss
methods to increase the general standards of SRH, but you can also focus on certain topics
(including the ones suggested here), which you believe can benefit not just your country but
also other member states and bring about better standards of living for all. In drafting your
resolutions, you should also keep in mind WHOs role in global health governance, its
linkages with other multilateral organizations/agencies, NGOs and donors (commercial and
non-commercial alike), and possible conflicts of interests with local governments and other
stakeholders.
5

Momtaz, Djamchid. Proclamation of Teheran. United Nations Audiovisual Library of

International Law. 2009. http://untreaty.un.org/cod/avl/pdf/ha/fatchr/fatchr_e.pdf . accessed on
15/05/2013
6
The Lancet (2006). Executive Summary of Lancet Sexual and Reproductive Health Series.
<http://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/publications/general/lancet_exec_summ.pdf>
accessed on 15/05/2013
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HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

At the beginning of the 20th century, people did not even think about or consider sexual and
reproductive health in the way we do today. The 1968 Proclamation of Teheran was the first
international legal document to consider the right to reproduce as a basic human right. This
laid the groundwork towards the changing of the academic and legal viewpoints towards the
issue.7 Population growth was a key concern for the UN and WHO post WW2, because
they understood that unchecked growth would strain the little and finite resources that
developing countries had, ultimately crippling their growth and letting the populace languish
in poverty.8 These are the technical arguments for the promotion of sexual and reproductive
health.
In 1972, the WHO set up the special program of research, development and research
training in human reproduction (HRP) in conjunction with other international organizations
such as the World Bank. HRP is the official research branch of the Invalid source
specified.WHO and its reproductive health department. In 1994, the 4th International
Conference on Population and Development in Cairo finally recognized that proper
education and prevention of individuals on their sexual and reproductive health was a key
way to reducing population growth as well as improving the standard of living. Despite their
efforts, this point was not put into the UN MDG. 9 It did however lead to a growing
international awareness about the importance of the subject. The WHO has been

Proclamation of Teheran. International Conference of Human Rights. 1968.

http://www1.umn.edu/humanrts/instree/l2ptichr.htm. Accessed April 1, 2013.
8
Glasier, Anna, A; Metin, Glmezoglu; Schmid, George P.; Moreno, Claudia Garcia; Van
Look, Paul FA. Sexual and Reproductive Health: A matter of Life and Death.
The Lancet. 2006. http://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/publications/general/lancet_1.pdf.
Accessed February 28, 2013.
9
Ibid., 1595-1595.
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instrumental in championing sexual and reproductive rights for all individual, though more
visibly on women and childrens rights. On the technical side, it continually provides
technical advice on SRH to health agencies and healthcare providers around the world, as
well as frameworks to help individuals in certain kinds of situations (e.g. crisis and conflict
situations.)
KEY TOPIC: FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION

No such topic has had so much involvement as well as condemnation as the issue of
female genital mutilation (FGM). Ever since the 1960s, when doctors started to speak out
about the practice, the WHO has been actively involved in both the education as well as the
eradication of the practice. While efforts to ban or outlaw it stretch back in time to colonial
periods of many of these countries, the movement has only truly gained strength in the
1970s and 1980s when it became a human rights issue as well as a important cause for the
feminist movement.10
FGM is officially defined as the all procedures that involve partial or total removal of the
external female genitalia, or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical
reasons. Estimates put the number of girls and women living with the consequences of
such procedures between 100 to 140 million, mostly in the African continent as well as the
Middle East. FGM is classified into four general types of procedures, but all are equally
condemned. Generally, the clitoris as well as other genitalia is removed, leaving no
erogenous zones in that area.11

10

Rahman, Anika; Toubia, Nahid. Background and History. Female Genital Mutilation: A
practical guide to worldwide laws and policies. 2000. 9-13.
11
Female Genital Mutilation. WHO. February 13, 2013.
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs241/en/index.html. Accessed April 2nd, 2013.
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Defenders of such practices often cite religious, social and cultural reasons for it. They
contend that FGM is an old tradition that goes back hundreds of years, and has cultural as
well as religious motivations behind such practices. They also point out that the outlawing of
FGM has not eliminated the practice, but instead has driven the practice underground,
where there are no regulation as well as a high possibility of unsanitary conditions, leading
to infection and sickness later on. Within each culture still practicing FGM, there are a
myriad of reasons for such, including beliefs relating FGM to purity and fertility. Often, the
people who support the continuation of such practices are the women in these cultures
themselves who have had the procedures practiced on them.12
Research has shown that such procedures do not bestow on the females any medical
benefit whatsoever. Opponents of such practices say that there is no rational benefit to
undergo such a painful procedure, and that such operations after often done
unprofessionally and in unsanitary conditions.13 The girls and women who undergo these
procedures often suffer from extreme pain and discomfort. From a human rights
perspective, such practices are seen as a form of sexism and discrimination against the
female gender that infringe on their sexual rights and the right to enjoy sex.14

12

Eliminating Female Genital Mutilation: An interagency statement. OHCHR, UNAIDS,

UNDP, UNECA, UNESCO, UNFPA, UNHCR, UNICEF, UNIFEM, WHO. 2008. 5-7.
http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/csw/csw52/statements_missions/Interagency_Statem
ent_on_Eliminating_FGM.pdf. accessed on 15/05/2013
13
Ibid., 11-12.
14
Ibid., 8-10
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This issue has not been without significant amounts of controversy. While defenders of
FGM are often painted as people who support barbaric practices, the criticism and the
movement to eliminate FGM has often suffered from the charge of cultural imperialism. The
approach of many NGOs and organization working to eliminate FGM has often consisted of
them telling these cultures that their culture is inherently bad due to their support of FGM
and that the western conception of human rights is culturally superior and better.15
There have been quite a few resolutions on the topic of FGM. The 1993 Vienna World
Conference on Human Rights was an international statement that FGM was against human
rights.16 In 2003, the African Union adopted the Maputo Protocol, which covers FGM and its
elimination.17 For the WHO, in 2008, it passed a resolution on the topic, covering various
sectors as well as addressing the important ethical issue on the increasing number of
healthcare professionals carrying out FGM in countries around the world.18 In 2012, the
General Assembly passed a resolution (A/C.3/67/L.21/Rev.1) that was cosponsored by 2/3
of the committee, banning the practice of female genital mutilation that aims to end the
harmful practices. Although there is growing support for the cause, what the council should
still address is the practicality of implementing policies supporting such a vision.

15

Abusharaf, Rogaia Mustafa. Revisitng Feminist Discourses on Inbulation: The Hosken Report. Female
Circumcision in Africa: Culture, Controversy, Change. 2000. 160-163.
http://books.google.com.sg/books?id=rhhRXiJIGEcC&pg=PA160&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false.
accessed on 15/05/2013
16

UN General Assembly. Report on the World Conference on Human Rights. UNHCHR.

http://www.unhchr.ch/huridocda/huridoca.nsf/(Symbol)/A.CONF.157.24+(PART+I).En?O
penDocument accessed on 15/05/2013
17
Protocol on the Rights of Women. African Union. Maputo, 2003. http://www.africaunion.org/root/au/Documents/Treaties/Text/Protocol%20on%20the%20Rights%20of%20W
omen.pdf. accessed on 15/05/2013
18
Female Genital Mutilation. WHO WHA 61.16. 2008.
https://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/A61/A61_R16-en.pdf. accessed on 15/05/2013
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SUBTOPIC: ABORTION

Abortion was, and still remains a highly controversial as well as divisive issue around the
world. While there are groups and organizations that support a ban on the practice of
abortion for religious, cultural and moral reasons, the WHO has stood firmly by their ideal of
safe abortions and the right of all women to have access to this procedure.19 Abortion is an
important subset in the topic of family planning, often eclipsing the other issues within family
planning. In the Cairo International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), it
was recognized that giving individual as and when they could have family and plan out their
lives somewhat was another alternate as well as effective way of reducing population
explosion, instead of using coercive methods as seen in India and China.20
Such a stance does invite criticism from these particular groups above, stating that the
WHO is supporting what amounts to nothing more than murder of children and the
defenseless. Certain blocs, such as the Holy See, catholic-majority countries as well as
Islamic states form some of the most vehement opposition to the topic of abortion on the
international stage, citing religious and moral reasons against abortion and family planning
on whole. Other critics also point out that abortion is very much open to abuse, especially in
the case of sex-selective abortion, where women actively choose to abort female fetuses in
favor of trying for a male child.

19

Grimes, David, et al (2006). Unsafe abortion: the preventable pandemic. The Lancet Sexual
and Reproductive Health Series.
http://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/topics/unsafe_abortion/article_unsafe_abortion.pdf
accessed on 15/05/2013
20
UNFPA (1995). International Conference on Population and Development - ICPD - Programme of
Action. http://www.unfpa.org/public/home/publications/pid/1973 accessed on 15/05/2013
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Supporters of abortion include economists, policy makers which contend that having family
planning (including abortion) have material benefits, allowing couple to plan their family
better, having benefits for female reproductive health in some cases. Additionally, as
affirmed in the Cairo ICPD, policy makers were increasingly turning to family planning as a
form of population control, as well as the right of an individual over their own body. They
also argue that making abortion illegal would be (like FGM) driving the practice
underground, where nothing can be regulated and subjecting women to very dangerous
and unsanitary conditions. Some proponents consider the issue to be one of healthcare,
that women should have that option available to them if they should need it. Some feminists
view it from the perspective of women taking control of their bodies back from a maledominated society, being in line with the third Millennium Development Goal, to empower
women. In contrast to the previous issue, the WHO has refrained from making overt
statements on the morality of abortion, choosing instead to speak up against unsafe
abortion and concentrating on building up a fixed framework for healthcare professionals
and systems all over the world to follow.
What delegates should address in the issue of abortion is how the WHO should deal with its
stance on abortion and its implications. Should aid be given for abortions? Should personal
circumstances be taken into account? Delegates are expected to bear in mind their
countrys stance on the topic itself and then use it to shape their resolutions.

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SUBTOPIC: HIV/AIDS AND SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH

Studies have proven that it is highly important to integrate the treatment and prevention of
HIV/AIDS with a sexual and reproductive health strategy at large. Despite efforts and
advancements of treatment of those affected by HIV/AIDS, HIV infects more people as
compared to ones that attain access to treatment.21 Prevention in this care is way more vital
than the cure to contain the spread of HIV/AIDS. Additionally, by integrating treatment and
prevention into a broader healthcare system has benefits for both for the HIV/AIDS initiative
and for the health of the targeted population as well. For example, preventing the
transmission of the disease from mother to unborn child often covers other antenatal,
maternal and child health needs as well.22
HIV/AIDS is special in the reality that it has its own UN Organization (UNO) to deal with the
disease in the form of UNAIDS. However, with the focus of the autoimmune disease has
often to be to the detriment of other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Both UNAIDs
and WHO have both in turn introduced strategies for to deal with HIV/AIDS, but without any
attempt to coordinate their response. In fact, their responses have been remarkably
similar.2324 Preventing HIV/AIDS is the same as preventing most other STIs. Instead of
UNAIDS goal of creating a unique authority and personnel to deal specifically with
HIV/AIDS, integrating their approach not only makes the actions more effective, but more
cost effective as well (both economically and politically), allowing the cost savings to go
21

Buse, Kent; Sidib, Michel. Strength in Unity. Bulletin of the WHO. November 2009. 806.
http://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/publications/linkages/who_bulletin_8711.pdf.
Accessed 3 March 2013.
22
Ibid.
23
Wilcher, Rose; Cates, Willard. Reproductive Choices for Women with HIV. Bulletin of the
WHO. November 2009 835-836.
24
Germaine, Adrienne; Dixon-Mueller, Ruth; Sen, Gita. Back to basics: HIV/AIDS belongs
with sexual and reproductive health. Bulletin of the WHO. November 2009. 842.
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back into the program and improving the healthcare response to sexual and reproductive
health. The population at high risk for HIV/AIDS is also often the same group at the same
kinds of risk for other STIs. The prevalence of STIs often serves as a warning signal for the
potential transmission of HIV/AIDS for these at-risk individuals. Through STI control, the
success of the HIV/AIDS initiatives can be judged as well.25 There are huge benefits to the
coordination of the HIV/AIDS responses, but there has been little political will to change the
system from the current deadlock. This is in part due to the reluctance by various interest
groups with the idea of contraception.26
For this issue, delegates should address the issues preventing the problem of HIV from
being effectively dealt with. What part does WHO play in this topic? What are the possible
solutions and drawbacks? What can individual countries do to help alleviate the situation or
advance their interests? Is contraception a viable solution in the eyes of your countrys
policy? What are the implications for WHO?
SUBTOPIC: SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH IN CRISIS SITUATION

Crisis situations can be regarded as an event or series of events which have resulted in a
critical threat to the health, safety, security or well-being of a community or other large
group of people such that the affected community is unable to cope and requires external
assistance27. Humanitarian settings are often the result of conflicts (e.g., war), complex

25

Ibid.
Wilcher, Rose; Cates, Willard. Reproductive Choices for Women with HIV. Bulletin of the
WHO. November 2009 835-837.
27
World Health Organization (2010). Inter-agency Field Manual on Reproductive Health in
Humanitarian Settings.
<http://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/publications/emergencies/field_manual_rh_human
itarian_settings.pdf> accessed on 15/05/2013
26

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emergencies28, natural disasters, epidemics and famine, among others, all of which can be
protracted or otherwise. WHO has been very active in this field, such that coverage of SRH
services in crisis situations has increased substantially since 1994. Still, the difficultly in
implementing SRH services in such situations even today can be attributed to the lack of a
universal understanding of health recovery in general29, limiting provision and accessibility
of SRH services and thereby hampering human development.
The main SRH issues in crisis situations are:
High maternal mortality rates of 1000 per 100,000 births (adjusted, in Sub-Saharan Africa,
compared to 690 per 100,000 births in peacetime countries) as health systems lack the
capacity to respond to the needs of pregnant women30 and newborn care.
Gender-based violence (SGBV), and sexual exploitation, e.g., in exchange for aid, and
stemming from crowded conditions especially for displaced populations, separation from
family as well as trauma and alcohol abuse31
Sexually-transmitted infections (STI) such as HIV increasing, wherein SGBV can be the risk
factor in such transmissions.

28

Complex emergencies are defined as a situation with complex social, political and economic
origins which involves the breakdown of state structures, the disputed legitimacy of host
authorities, the abuse of human rights and possibly armed conflict that creates humanitarian
needs.
Source: WHO (n.d.). Definitions: emergencies.
<http://www.who.int/hac/about/definitions/en/> accessed on 15/05/2013
29
World Health Organisation (2011). Sexual and reproductive health during protracted crisis and
recovery. http://whqlibdoc.who.int/hq/2011/WHO_HAC_BRO_2011.2_eng.pdf accessed on
15/05/2013
30
Ibid
31
Ibid
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Unmet needs for family planning and consequentially, unsafe abortions and intermittent
supply of contraceptives.
WHO has been working with other multilateral organizations such as UNFA and the Interagency Working Group for Reproductive Health in Crises (IAWG), a coalition of 450
agencies representing the UN, government, non-governmental, research and donor
organizations32, including WHO.
The Minimum Initial Service Package (MISP) for reproductive health in crisis situations was
developed by WHO and the IAWG in 1999, and recognized as the Sphere standard in 2004
as a priority intervention to be implemented at the onset of every new emergency33. MISP,
as its name suggest, serves to provide the minimum level of SRH services, including
prevention of excess neonatal and maternal mortality, reduce HIV transmission, managing
sexual violence, among others34.
However, while MISP is recognized, it is not institutionalized. MISP implementation in crisis
situations is spotty at best: the level of MISP knowledge of health staff and the degree of
which MISP is implemented varies, with managerial, policy and donor barriers such that the
Package is often not fully implemented or undersupplied 35 . Other agencies may also
implement their own packages instead of using MISP which may not necessarily provide full
MISP coverage, e.g., Mdecins Sans Frontires (MSF, or Doctors Without Borders) has its
own package, Sexual and reproductive health core package of activities in MSF projects.

32

IAWG (n.d.). About IAWG. <http://iawg.net/about-iawg/> accessed on 15/05/2013

WHO (2011).
34
World Health Organisation (n.d.). The Minimum Initial Service Package For Reproductive Health
In Crisis Situations. <http://www.who.int/disasters/repo/7345.doc> accessed on 15/05/2013
35
WHO (2011).
33

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The Granada Consultation was undertaken in 2009 to review experiences, challenges and
lessons on SRH service provision in protracted crises and better integration of MISP to
facilitate transition into comprehensive SRH provision 36 . This resulted in the Granada
Consensus37 a statement highlighting four priority areas which needed to be addressed to
ensure the sustainable provision of SRH services in protracted crises, and progression from
MISP to comprehensive services. Despite the Consensus, government failure, presence of
external agencies and fragmented coordination, and the lack of institutionalization of MISP
prove to be obstacles in ensuring SRH provision in crisis situations.
Delegates are to consider the challenges to implementing programs such as MISP. Are
there political, social or economic implications of implementing such programs or even just
providing aid? Does providing aid actually help more than harm or vice versa? Delegates
of the WHO committee should explore the sensitivities of the issue on aid and attempt to
address it through a practical and politically viable solution that fits with your countrys
stance.
SUBTOPIC: IMPROVEMENT OF INFRASTRUCTURE IN RELATION TO SEXUAL
AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH

Poor infrastructure is one of the characteristics of weak health systems it hampers service
delivery and performance such that healthcare may be limited in terms of access and/or
capacity, where a comprehensive package of SRH interventions are not implemented.
Inadequate infrastructure can range from lack of public health knowledge to the tangible
dimensions of insufficient health systems development and organization (e.g., clinics,
36

WHO (2011).
World Health Organisation (2009). Granada Consensus on Sexual and Reproductive Health in
Protracted Crises and Recovery.
<http://www.who.int/hac/techguidance/pht/reproductive_health_protracted_crises_and_reco
very.pdf> accessed on 15/05/2013
37

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laboratories, equipment) and healthcare personnel development (doctors, nurses etc)38,39.

Due to limited resources, developing countries are only able to offer the basic package of
SRH services usually focused around maternal, newborn and child health40, which does not
extend to services such as HIV screening, abortion management, SGBV prevention, among
others.
WHO, to that effect, works to promote partnerships at the country and regional level, as well
as strengthening the institutional infrastructure in these countries41 . The WHO regional
office in Africa for example, has developed a 10-year framework for accelerated action till
2014, focusing on multilateral partnership and coordination, and strengthening current
capacities, both within provision agencies and existing infrastructure in the country of
concern. It also emphasizes monitoring and data collection for more effective impact
evaluation. WHO also collaborates with UNFPA through the WHO-UNFPA Strategic
Partnership Programme (SPP) to offer support to Ministries of Health through introduction,
adaptation and adoption of selected practice guides in SRH such as family planning, STI
prevention and maternal and newborn health42. Their activities are also harmonized through
the United Nations Development Assistance Framework, and practical engagement of
38

Powles, John, and Flavio Comim (n.d.). Public Health Infrastructure and Knowledge.
World Health Organisation.
<http://www.who.int/trade/distance_learning/gpgh/gpgh6/en/index7.html> accessed on
15/05/2013
39
IMVA (n.d.). The Major International Health Organisations.
<http://www.imva.org/Pages/orgfrm.htm> accessed on 15/05/2013
40
Williams, Katherine, Charlotte Warren and Ian Askew (October 2010). Planning and
Implementing an Essential Package of Sexual and Reproductive Health Services. <http://www.ctchealth.org.cn/file/Essential_Package_Integration.pdf> accessed on 15/05/2013
41
World Health Organisation (n.d.). Objectives and Functions. WHO Regional Office for Africa.
<http://www.afro.who.int/en/clusters-a-programmes/frh/sexual-and-reproductive-health/srhcountry-profiles/830-home.html> accessed on 15/05/2013
42
Department of Reproductive Health and Research (2008). WHO-UNFPA Strategic Partnership
Programme (SPP). <http://www.unfpa.org/rh/docs/brochure_spp.pdf> accessed on 15/05/2013
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technical working groups43. WHO is also part of Health Eight (H8), an informal group of 8
health-related organizations which also includes UNICEF, UNFPA, UNAIDS, GFATM,
GAVI, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), and the World Bank44. Created in mid2007, H8 looks at horizontal approaches in support of national health process, for the
improvement of service delivery including strengthening infrastructure and support.
Although there has been some progress made in strengthening health systems
infrastructure and capacity in Africa, the majority of the countries in that region still have
inadequate policy frameworks and resources necessary for sustainable health services,
much less comprehensive provision of SRH activities. Again, the heavy fragmentation of
health infrastructure is also contributing to the prevalence of HIV in places like Sub-Saharan
Africa. Efforts by external actors NGOs, multilateral agencies etc do not often result in
increased accessibility45 as they often lack coordination, resulting in duplication, inefficient
utilization of resources, wastage and missed opportunities

46

and hence, gaps in

comprehensive provision and accessibility.

In addressing this issue, delegates should consider how to deal with the problem of
infrastructure. Should the more economically developed countries take on the obligation to
43

World Health Organisation (March 2011). Strengthening country office capacity to support Sexual
and reproductive health in the new aid environment.
<http://www.unfpa.org/webdav/site/global/shared/documents/publications/2011/SRH%20
in%20New%20Aid%20Environment_GlionMeeting_Oct2011.pdf> accessed on 15/05/2013
44
Ibid
45
Moten, Asad, Daniel Schafer and Elizabeth Montgomery (December 2012). Building public
health infrastructure in resource-poor settings. Journal of Global Health 2(2).
<http://www.jogh.org/documents/issue201202/6-Viewpoint%20Moten.pdf> accessed on
15/05/2013
46
World Health Organisation Regional Office for Africa (2004). Repositioning Family Planning In
Reproductive Health Services: Framework For Accelerated Action, 20052014.
<http://www.afro.who.int/index.php?option=com_docman&task=doc_download&gid=3532
> accessed on 15/05/2013
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Organization

help the less developed countries with their healthcare? What are the implications of that in
our current climate? Do the less developed countries want help from the WHO? What are
the key problems underlying the slow development of healthcare systems in places that
need it the most? What would be the most practical solution?
CONCLUDING REMARKS

Overall, delegates should strive to dig beneath the surface, unearth the root cause of the
problem and then propose politically, socially and economically viable solutions to deal with
the issue at hand. Also, bear in mind each countrys policy and the sensitivities regarding
each issue in order to craft good resolutions and solve the worlds most pertinent health
issues of today.
Best of luck!

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Adanu, R. M., Seffah, J. J., Anarfi, J. K., Lince, N. N., & Blanchard, K. K. (2012). SEXUAL AND
REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH IN ACCRA, GHANA. Ghana Medical Journal, 46(2), 58-65.

Hindin, M. J., Christiansen, C., & Ferguson, B. (2013). Setting research priorities for adolescent
sexual and reproductive health in low- and middle-income countries. Bulletin Of The World Health
Organization, 91(1), 10-18. doi:10.2471/BLT.12.107565

IMVA (n.d.). The Major International Health Organisations. http://www.imva.org/Pages/orgfrm.htm

Moten, Asad, Daniel Schafer and Elizabeth Montgomery (December 2012). Building public health
infrastructure in resource-poor settings. Journal of Global Health 2(2).
http://www.jogh.org/documents/issue201202/6-Viewpoint%20Moten.pdf

Perspectives on sexual and reproductive health. (2002). New York, N.Y. : Alan Guttmacher Institute,
2002-.

Sara, S., & Rolla, K. (n.d). Issues In Current Policy: Measuring improvements in sexual and
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Sharon F, TK Sundari R. The macroeconomic environment and sexual and reproductive health: a
review of trends over the last 30 years. Reproductive Health Matters [serial online]. n.d.;19:11-25.

Tilahun, M., Mengistie, B., Egata, G., & Reda, A. (2012). Health workers' attitudes toward sexual and
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The Reproductive Health Report: The state of sexual and reproductive health within the European
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Tynan, A., Vallely, A., Kelly, A., Kupul, M., Neo, J., Naketrumb, R., & ... Hill, P. S. (2013).
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Human Resources For Health, 11(1), 1-14. doi:10.1186/1478-4491-11-7

Williams, Katherine, Charlotte Warren and Ian Askew (October 2010). Planning and Implementing an
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World Health Organization Department of Reproductive Health and Research.

http://www.who.int/topics/reproductive_health/en/

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