Activities to advance reproductive health commodity security are carried out within the UNFPA structure as follows:

In the Field – the Country Offices

The most important commodity work takes place at the country level, in the overall context of UNFPA support to reproductive health programmes. UNFPA offices in 110 countries are integrating reproductive health commodity security strategies into their ongoing programmes.

Its in-country presence enables UNFPA to stay in touch with the evolving needs and priorities of people who live there. It also gives the Fund the ability to monitor quality of care and address cultural sensitivities and gender disparities.

Regional Backup – The Country Support Technical Teams

In each of UNFPA’s nine subregions, Country Support Technical Teams (CSTs) offer support to country offices. Each team includes a focal point for commodity security who liaises with Country Offices and provides technical support that increase national capacity to achieve reproductive health commodity security.

The Commodity Management Unit at Headquarters

For more than ten years, UNFPA has conducted in-depth studies of contraceptive requirements and logistics management needs in more than 20 countries.

The Commodities Management Unit provides technical guidelines to help shape national policies and programmes on topics such as strategies for financing; policy issues; short-term and long-term needs; service delivery roles for public, private and NGO bodies; and the impact of HIV/AIDS as it relates to commodity supplies.

Beginning in 1999, the Unit expanded its focus to embrace all aspects of reproductive health commodity security including advocacy and resource mobilization, coordination and sustainability.

UNFPA specializes in the supply of contraceptives and other reproductive health commodities and offers a complete 'best value' procurement service. Efforts are also geared to demand creation, through social marketing and advocacy efforts.

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