From Procuring Supplies to Supplying Know-How
Different countries have vastly different needs when it comes to contraceptives and maternal health medicines and equipment. The poorest rely on donor contributions for the bulk of their reproductive health supply needs. More developed countries may be able to purchase the goods, but require help in forecasting needs, managing supply chains, building demand and creating sustainable funding mechanisms. Through its Global Programme to Enhance Reproductive Health Commodity Supply, UNFPA and its partners assess country needs and tailor support accordingly.
This support may begin with advocacy to encourage policymakers to allocate resources to this important area, and to ensure that the importance of contraceptives and condoms are well understood. It may include training on needs assessments, logistics systems and software applications that can help managers work more effectively. The aim is to build capacity at the local level so that the process can gradually become self-sustaining.
In addition to the building capacity at the country level, UNFPA stands ready, as part of an interagency team, to deliver supplies quickly when countries are disrupted by natural disasters or conflict. In addition, through the Joint Programme for African, Caribbean, and Pacific Countries (funded by the European Development Fund) UNFPA helps strengthen national capacity in 17 conflict and post-conflict countries.
History of UNFPA’s work in supplies
1994 - The International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in Cairo
The International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in Cairo highlights the increasing demand for contraceptives and other reproductive health commodities, and the need to assist countries in becoming more self-reliant in this arena. http://www.unfpa.org/icpd/icpd.cfm
2000 - UNFPA initiates Global Strategy
UNFPA initiates Global Strategy for reproductive health commodity security.
2000 - Millennium Development Goals
Millennium Development Goals are established, highlighting the need for a reduction in maternal mortality ratios (MDG 5) and reversing the AIDS epidemic (MDG 6). Both of these goals, as well as several others, rely on a secure supply of reproductive health essentials. http://www.unfpa.org/icpd/mdgs-icpd.cfm
April 2001 - UNFPA issues a Call to Action
UNFPA issues a Call to Action intended to increase the global focus on achieving reproductive health commodity security and enlisting partners such as foundations, non-governmental organizations, governments, and the private sector. https://www.unfpa.org/publications/pid/3254
May 2001 - Meeting the Challenge: Securing Contraceptive Supplies and Condoms for HIV/AIDS Prevention
Conference in Istanbul: Meeting the Challenge: Securing Contraceptive Supplies and Condoms for HIV/AIDS Prevention resulted in a declaration of commitment and an action agenda for improving reproductive health supply security at the local, country and global levels. https://www.unfpa.org/public/News/pid/3904
2004 - Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition established
Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition established. This group of partners, including UNFPA and many other stakeholders, is dedicated to ensuring that people in lower- and middle-income (LMI) countries can obtain and use high quality reproductive health supplies. www.rhsupplies.org
2006 - The Global Programme is established
The Global Programme is established. The Global Programme to Enhance Reproductive Health Commodity Security provides a structure for moving beyond ad-hoc responses to stockouts towards more predictable, planned and sustainable country-driven approaches for securing essential supplies and ensuring their use. https://www.unfpa.org/public/News/pid/195
The need for consistent and secure access to affordable, quality reproductive health supplies (or Reproductive Health Commodity Security) was established in 1994 during the International Conference on Population and Development. UNFPA’s leadership role in commodity security was formalized following the five-year review of the International Conference on Population and Development in 1999.
At that time, countries adopted a Global Call to Action that describes what needs to be done and how results could be achieved by various partners, under the overall coordination of UNFPA.
Based on the global call, UNFPA and its partners developed the Reproductive Health Commodity Strategy, along with the Strategic Pathway to Reproductive Health Commodity Security to guide countries toward achieving the goal of universal access to reproductive health by the year 2015.
This marked a shift in emphasis for UNFPA from procurement of supplies toward assisting countries with strategic approaches to commodity security. In 2003, UNFPA joined forces with several other agencies to form the Reproductive Health Supply Coalition, further harmonizing global strategy towards reproductive health commodity security.
Most recently, in 2006, the Global Programme to Enhance Reproductive Health Commodity Security provided a framework to coordinate national efforts and refine funding mechanisms for country support. The programme is intended to be a catalyst for governments to improve their health care delivery systems and meet needs for reproductive health commodities in a sustainable manner.
