Citation

Endler M, Al Haidari T, Chowdhury S, Christilaw J, El Kak F, Galimberti D, Gutierrez M, Ramirez-Negrin A, Senanayake H, Sohail R, Temmerman M, Gemzell Danielsson K. Int. J. Gynaecol. Obstet. 2020; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Affiliation

Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, and Karolinska University Hospital, Sweden.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Publisher Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1002/ijgo.13111

PMID

32012258

Abstract

Ensuring universal access to sexual and reproductive healthcare services is Target 3.7 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). Refugee and migrant women and children are at particular risk of being forgotten in the global momentum to achieve this target. In this article we discuss the violations of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) of particular relevance to the refugee and migrant reality. We give context-specific examples of denial of health services to vulnerable groups; lack of dignity as a barrier to care; the vulnerability of adolescents; child marriage; weaponized rape; gender-based violence; and sexual trafficking. We discuss rights frameworks and models that are being used in response to these situations, as well as what remains to be done. Specifically, we call for obstetricians and gynecologists to act as individual providers and through their FIGO member societies to protect women's health and rights in these exposed settings.

© 2020 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics.

Language: en

Keywords

Humanitarian crisis; Migrant women; Refugees; Sexual and reproductive health and rights