>>Available in PDF

Summary: By Cynthia Steele, Vice President, Programs, IWHC; and Susana Chiarotti, Director, Instituto de Genero, Derecho y Desarollo, Rosario, Argentina (Reproductive Health Matters, Vol. 12 No. 24 Supplement, November 2004, pp. 39-46). 

>>Available in French and Spanish

Summary: By Adrienne Germain (Our Planet Magazine, October 2004). Explains why empowering women is the key to solving a range of global health, development, and environmental challenges, reviews commitments made on improving women's health and advancing women's rights at the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD, Cairo, 1994) and summarizes achievements made in the last decade.

August 14, 2006, XVI International AIDS ConferenceToronto, Canada
Remarks by Paulette Nicholas and Judith Auerbach
Available in Word and PDF

Science, Vol 305, Issue 5680, 17, 2 July 2004

By Adrienne Germain

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) decision in May 2004 not to allow over-the-counter sales of the morning-after pill, Plan B, is but one troubling example of the increasing impact of politics and ideology on science and health policy. The agency's ruling, contrary to recommendations from an external advisory panel and its own scientific staff, is indicative of the growing gap between common sense and U.S. policies affecting the well-being of women and girls worldwide.

The UNDP/UNFPA/WHO Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in which WHO plays the key research and coordinating role was established more than 30 years ago, primarily in response to international concerns about unwanted fertility and the impact of rapid population growth.  While improvements in contraceptive acceptability, safety and choice and in the quality of care still play an important role in its research agenda, the scope of work has expanded to emphasize newly salient issues such as adolescent sexual behavior, gender inequalities and violence against women, the prevention and management of sexually transmitted infections including HIV/AIDS, the development of safe and effective methods for the early termination of unwanted pregnancies and the management of complications of unsafe procedures, and improvements in pregnancy, delivery and postpartum care in resource-poor settings.  The Special Programme has built up an international network of more than 120 research institutions in developed and developing countries that is engaged in social science and biomedical research aimed at strengthening the evidence base for improved policies, programs and practices in sexual and reproductive health for women, men and young people throughout the world.