WHO CC involvement: Dr Angela Dawson
Dr Angela Dawson from WHO CC UTS was invited to present the findings of the Interagency Working Group (IAWG) on reproductive health in humanitarian settings global evaluation as part of an expert panel at the 6th Conference of the International Society for Integrated Disaster Risk Management in Delhi in October. IAWG is a broad-based, highly collaborative coalition committed to expanding and strengthening access to quality reproductive health (RH) services for persons affected by conflict and natural disaster.
The panel session "Building Resilience by Addressing Sexual and Reproductive Health Needs" was chaired by Anjali Sen, the Regional Director of International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), a global service provider and a leading advocate of sexual and reproductive health and rights. Other panellists in the session were Nimisha Goswami (project specialist humanitarian response in public health SPRINT initiative, a program funded by DFAT), Aditi Ghosh (Emergency Response Manager for SPRINT Initiative) and Priya Marwah (Humanitarian Response Coordinator UNFPA).
WHO CC UTS played a key role in one of the seven studies undertaken as part of this research designed to identify existing reproductive health services, quantify progress, document gaps and determine direction for future programs, advocacy and funding. The evaluation identified current trends and gaps of reproductive health in crises, and lays out recommendations for various actors like international and national governments, humanitarian agencies, non-government organisations and other civil society organizations for mainstreaming sexual and reproductive health in emergency management plans.
The impact of these courses and events will aid the ongoing aim of the WHO CC UTS to build leadership capacity within the region.