The United Nations Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction, known as the Human Reproduction Programme or HRP, has been providing the world with research findings and guidance on sexual health and reproduction (SRH) for more than half a century. This annual report highlights the programme’s key achievements in 2023, and points to major ongoing research that will be completed in the next few years.

he starting point for this guideline is the point at which a woman has learnt that she is living with HIV and it therefore covers key issues for providing comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights-related services and support for women living with HIV. As women living with HIV face unique challenges and human rights violations related to their sexuality and reproduction within their families and communities as well as from the health-care institutions where they seek care particular emphasis is placed on the creation of an enabling environment to support more effective health interventions and better health outcomes. This guideline is meant to help countries to more effectively and efficiently plan develop and monitor programmes and services that promote gender equality and human rights and hence are more acceptable and appropriate for women living with HIV taking into account the national and local epidemiological context. It discusses implementation issues that health interventions and service delivery must address to achieve gender equality and support human rights.

The evaluation of reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health (RMNCH) by the Disease Control Priorities, Third Edition (DCP3) focuses on maternal conditions, childhood illness, and malnutrition. Specifically, the chapters address acute illness and undernutrition in children, principally under age 5. It also covers maternal mortality, morbidity, stillbirth, and influences to pregnancy and pre-pregnancy. Volume 3 focuses on developments since the publication of DCP2 and will also include the transition to older childhood, in particular, the overlap and commonality with the child development volume. The DCP3 evaluation of these conditions produced three key findings: 1. There is significant difficulty in measuring the burden of key conditions such as unintended pregnancy, unsafe abortion, nonsexually transmitted infections, infertility, and violence against women. 2. Investments in the continuum of care can have significant returns for improved and equitable access, health, poverty, and health systems. 3. There is a large difference in how RMNCH conditions affect different income groups; investments in RMNCH can lessen the disparity in terms of both health and financial risk.

Tackling the consequences associated with reproductive health problems is a priority in developing countries, in particular with its impact on social and economic development. The UNDP/UNFPA/WHO/World Bank Special Programme of Research Training in Human Reproduction (HRP) seeks to do this, by supporting basic, clinical, epidemiological social science and operations research and conducting systematic reviews. This report presents an overview of the HRP's work over the biennium 2002-2003. Divided into six chapters, each focusing on a different aspect of reproductive health, such as: family planning; making pregnancy safer; reproductive tract infections; preventing unsafe abortion; adolescent sexual and reproductive health and co-operating with countries, the report makes a case for more substantial funding to further the work of the programme.

Incorporating HC 1075-i, session 2006-07

The evaluation seeks to contribute to organization-wide learning by drawing lessons from the multi-year funded resilience projects implemented in the Sahel and Cameroon and making recommendations for future programming. FAO intervened in these countries to strengthen the resilience of vulnerable households affected by the crisis in the Sahel through promoting sustainable livelihood. The evaluation found that the projects contributed to an improvement in animal and agricultural production and strengthened social cohesion among the different communities. The evaluation also found that a multi-year funding mechanism is flexible and allows a transition from a humanitarian to a development approach if used efficiently. In its future programming, FAO should promote an integrated approach, targeting the same beneficiaries and enabling them to engage in productive activities and sustainable natural resource management. In fragile and emergency contexts, FAO should adapt its tools and procedures for more flexibility and adaptive management.