Istanbul, Turkey- Tewodros Melesse, Director General of International Planned Parenthood Federation, Babatunde Osotimehin Executive Director, United Nations Population Fund, World Health Organisation and senior leaders from the Governments of Australia, Sweden, Norway, Netherlands and Jordan called for urgent action to include sexual and reproductive health in the immediate lifesaving interventions in crisis at the World Humanitarian Summit today. “Too often, sexual and reproductive health and rights in emergencies are overlooked and critically underfunded. It is a life saving intervention that protects dignity and keeps people protected when their world has been turned upside down. We need to ensure that there is a coordinated response on the ground which has the same status as other humanitarian response like food, shelter, water and sanitation. This is a minimum set of standards for a sexual and reproductive health frontline actions. We urge governments to factor to recognise and implement reproductive health into their own humanitarian response delivery.” said Tewodros Melesse, IPPF Director General. Reproductive health issues are the leading cause of women’s ill health and death worldwide and these problems are compounded during a crisis. Around 60 percent of preventable maternal deaths take place in crises and fragile settings. Women and girls are disproportionately affected by humanitarian crises exposed to early marriage, trafficking, rape, forced pregnancies, unattended service delivery during complicated pregnancies and delivery. 125 million people are affected by crises. One quarter of those people are women of reproductive age – that’s 31 million and women are 14 times more likely to die than men in a crisis. IPPF is calling for donor governments to ensure that services are more equitably distributed between conflict zones and natural disasters. In particular in conflict areas, lack of funding leads to worse sexual and reproductive health outcomes for women and girls. Rajat Khosla, Human Rights Advisor Reproductive Health, World Health Organization spoke of the urgent need to prioritize sexual and reproductive health in humanitarian settings, he said “We are now looking at people who are affected for 17 to 20 years by a crisis. We can no longer operate a business as usual approach. We need to change to a comprehensive health response that includes sexual and reproductive health and rights that leaves no one behind”. IPPF's new report “The Forgotten Priority: Sexual and reproductive health in crises” launched at the World Humanitarian Summit.

The International Planned Parenthood Federation welcomes the United Nations Secretary General’s humanitarian report which he delivered today. (February 9th) Ban Ki-Moon outlined five core responsibilities for the international community in a report which set out his vision ahead of the world humanitarian summit in May. These included better political leadership, protection for civilians, respect for humanitarian law, inclusive policies to make sure no one is left out, more flexibility and joined-up thinking from the aid community. He said the aid industry and his own organisation needed to urgently reform so they could react more effectively to today’s many crises. Director General, Tewodros Melesse said: "We strongly agree with the vision laid out by the Secretary General. At IPPF, we believe that there needs to be a serious rethink when it comes to the humanitarian response to the increasing number of crises around the world. “From our perspective we think it is essential that sexual and reproductive health and rights are included in the humanitarian response.” The figures for humanitarian crises are dramatic. More than a billion people alive today have seen their lives upended by crisis, war, instability; epidemics and disasters have left a long trail of turmoil and destruction. More than 100 million people in need of humanitarian assistance We know that a quarter of these are women and girls aged between 15 and 49 who are heightened risk of sexually transmitted infections, including HIV; unintended, unwanted pregnancy; maternal death and illness and sexual- and gender-based violence. The statics show that 56 per cent of maternal and child deaths take place in fragile settings, many of them affected by conflicts and recurring natural disasters. Over the past decade, IPPF has reached millions of people during floods, conflicts, earthquakes, cyclones when health care systems have often collapsed. At these moments IPPF Member Associations continued to serve the unreachable particularly women which are  three-quarters of IPPF clients. We have an organizational strategy to address sexual and reproductive needs before, during and after humanitarian crises. IPPF’s first response is with its Minimum Initial Service Package, which is life-saving, and then IPPF transitions to its Integrated Package of Essential services, which is life-changing. Often our intervention in the aftermath of humanitarian disasters ensures that the sexual and reproductive health situation is better after the crisis than before.

In reaction to yesterday’s pledges made from donor governments to Syria's aid conference in London, IPPF Director General Tewodros Melesse said more action should be taken to ensure that sexual and reproductive health and rights are at the centre of humanitarian efforts. Mr Melesse stated that “We have seen some great progress and we must celebrate that governments have come together to tackle one of the largest humanitarian crises we have seen in a long time. But we must not forget that in the response, sexual and reproductive health services should also be a top priority. Women and girls are disproportionately influenced by humanitarian crises exposed to early marriage, trafficking, rape, forced pregnancies, unattended service delivery during complicated pregnancies and delivery. We could save lives by putting money and efforts into an integrated comprehensive package on reproductive health into the standard humanitarian response. IPPF has been doing this for years, our staff work on both sides of the border and on the frontline. Beyond the immediate crisis we also work with those affected for the long term”. IPPF in Syria In Syria 46,500 women will suffer gender based violence, including rape, as a result of the ongoing conflict. This shows a great need to ensure that the human rights of women and girls are protected and able to access sexual and reproductive healthcare. IPPF Member, the Syrian Family Planning Association is on the front line when it comes to dealing with the less-reported consequence of every war- sexual and reproductive health and rights. Syrian Family Planning Association Executive Director Dr. Lama said “ When a woman comes to our services she  is typically lost and without hope. Our indicator of success  is that we help the hopeless to have  hope. We need more support to sustain and expand our services and to maintain the protection services we provided full of confidentiality and confidence. " Over the last 10 years, IPPF has reached millions of people during floods, conflicts, earthquakes, cyclones. When health care often collapsed, our Member Associations continued to  reach the underserved, which makes three quarters of IPPF clients.   For more information or interviews contact press office 02079398227