Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1694818759111.pdf (Australia)
Committee Secretary Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade PO Box 6021 Parliament House Canberra ACT 2600 17 July 2020 To the Committee Membership, The International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) welcomes the opportunity to engage in the consultation for the inquiry into the human rights of women and girls in the Pacific.

About IPPF IPPF is a global service provider and leading advocate for sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) for all.
As a locally owned, globally connected movement, IPPF works alongside national Member Associations and collaborative partners towards our vision for a world in which all people are free to make informed choices about their sexual and reproductive health (SRH), without discrimination.

IPPF has supported advocacy efforts within Australia for the region, and provided technical and advisory support to DFAT on a range of SRHR matters in foreign policy and international development.
Sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) Sexual and reproductive health is a fundamental human right, and access to SRH information and services saves lives.

The term SRHR encompasses all matters related to gender, puberty, relationships, sexual health, fertility, and birth.

It recognises the right of all people to have control over, and make decisions on, matters related to their bodies, sexuality, and reproduction, free from coercion, discrimination and violence.
SRHR interventions have been specifically linked to improving gender equality, maternal, child and newborn health, and broader social and economic outcomes.

Universal access to SRHR is highlighted in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a driver to ensuring healthy lives and well-being (SDG 3), and to achieving gender equality and women’s empowerment (SDG 5).

1 Inquiry into the human rights of women and girls in the PacificSubmission 25 Summary of Recommendations 1.

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Prioritise effective partnerships with civil society groups across the Pacific as a key strategy to advancing SRHR outcomes, particularly for marginalised and underserved groups.

Support civil society organisations whose work involves meaningful engagement and consultation with women, young people, and other underserved communities, as their participation is vital to advancing the human rights of women and girls in all their diversity.
Strengthen health systems through investment in strategic, long-term partnerships.

Prioritise SRHR programs as an essential component of achieving gender equality and advancing the rights of women, girls and marginalised communities within the region.
The Pacific Context The Pacific continues to face considerable challenges to fulfilling the SRHR of its citizens, some of which are highlighted below:  Entrenched gender inequality, social structures and attitudes continue to limit the ability of women and girls to make informed choices about their health.

This further marginalises already vulnerable groups such as women with disabilities, sex workers and those with diverse sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions (SOGIEs).
 Male partners and family members often control SRHR choices, leaving women and girls with little decision-making power on issues such as accessing contraception and determining family size.

 The region has a young demographic profile, with 56% of the population under the age of 251; yet young people continue to face multiple barriers accessing SRHR information and services.

Widespread myths and misconceptions about SRHR issues contribute to low uptake of services, particularly by young people.
 The number of women of reproductive age who wish to delay pregnancy but are not currently using modern contraception continues to be the highest in the world2.

One in four women in the Pacific wants to use modern contraception but are currently unable to do so, exceeding the average unmet need for the entire continent of Africa.
 The region has among the highest rates of violence against women and girls in the world, with seven Pacific Island countries reporting prevalence rates above 50 per cent.3 1 Asian-Pacific Resource and Research Centre for Women (ARROW), 2014.

Pacific Young People’s Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Factsheet.

2 Based on UNFPA’s review of available DHS report data on Sexual and Reproductive Health in the Pacific in August 2017.

3 UNFPA, March 2019.


Spotlight Initiative to Tackle Gender-Based Violence in Pacific Islands.

2 Inquiry into the human rights of women and girls in the PacificSubmission 25 The Pacific is also one of the most disaster-prone regions in the world, with climate change, extreme weather events, environmental degradation, and increasing frequency of natural disasters contributing to the vulnerability of the region.
 Existing gender inequalities are exacerbated in times of disaster, whilst the SRHR needs of women and girls become amplified, causing women and girls to experience compounding challenges to being able to fulfil their SRHR.

 As of May 2020, some islands in the Pacific are facing dual challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic and the aftermath of Tropical Cyclone Harold.
Women and girls are being disproportionately affected by quarantine and lockdown measures, disrupted supply chains, and diversion of health workforce resources and funds to combat the pandemic.

As in previous disasters, women and girls are experiencing reduced access to information and services, facing increased risks of SGBV, STIs including HIV, unintended pregnancies, and complications related to pregnancy and childbirth.
 Ensuring SRHR remains an essential service in disasters and emergencies is critical to save lives, prevent avoidable death and disability and safeguard the health and wellbeing of women and girls in the region.

1.

What is the role of civil society groups in Pacific Islands in responding practically to domestic, family and sexual violence, and other human rights issues such as gender equality?
Local civil society groups play a key role in addressing human rights issues for women and girls in the Pacific.

In Pacific communities, a nuanced understanding of the social and cultural factors influencing SRHR outcomes, such as pervasive gender inequality and harmful gender norms and practices, is acutely important.

IPPF Member Associations are locally owned, autonomous organisations with unparalleled reach into their local communities.
They are often seen as the ‘go-to’ SRHR organisation, trusted by communities and government partners.

Young people, marginalised and vulnerable groups such as people of diverse SOGIEs, sex workers and people living with disabilities are often unable or unwilling to access government health services, especially for SRHR information and services.
In many parts of the region, civil society groups such as IPPF Member Associations are the only ones able to facilitate stigma-free, friendly, and accessible services for these groups.

Despite this, civil society groups and national NGOs such as IPPF Member Associations are often over-looked and underutilised in development and humanitarian programming.
The vital role civil society organisations play in responding to SRHR issues is evident in the work IPPF Member Associations are currently doing in the region during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the context of global movement restrictions, disrupted supply chains, and limited possibilities for international assistance, Member Associations are finding innovative, locally relevant solutions to continue provision of essential SRHR information and support to their communities.
In addition, they are working in partnership with local governments and community organisations to adapt and respond to community needs.
For instance, the Solomon Islands Planned Parenthood Association (SIPPA), has been assisting 3 Inquiry into the human rights of women and girls in the PacificSubmission 25 the government by modifying and incorporating COVID-19 information and prevention messages as part of their SRHR service delivery in order to increase awareness within their hotel, motel, taxi and seafarer community networks.
While multilateral investments play an important role in supporting the health and wellbeing of women and girls in the Pacific, events such as the COVID-19 pandemic continue to highlight the critical importance of investing in and strengthening locally led action.
A multi-stakeholder, participatory approach to development that places emphasis on localised engagement with civil society is more likely to drive sustainable development outcomes adaptive to unique community needs.4 As an example, collaboration between IPPF Member Associations, Family Planning New South Wales (Family Planning NSW) and the Reproductive and Family Health Association of Fiji (RFHAF), has enabled a significant increase the number of clients accessing services during COVID-19.
When COVID-19 related travel restrictions limited Family Planning NSW international program’s capability to deliver training and capacity building within the Pacific, Family Planning NSW reallocated their funding to RFHAH.

As a result, RFHAH increased their supplies of pregnancy test kits, emergency contraceptive pills and extra medical equipment, increased the capacity and numbers of outreach teams, and printed more information, communication and education material for their Suva clinic.
This collaboration and targeted investment in local action saw over 100 clients accessing RHFAF in April 2020 alone, with new clients including sex workers, adolescent girls and people with diverse SOGIE backgrounds.

Recommendation 1: Prioritise building effective partnerships with civil society groups across the Pacific as a key strategy to advancing SRHR outcomes, particularly for marginalised and underserved groups.

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What are the key figures and groups which advance the human rights of women and girls in the Pacific context?

Women, girls, and marginalised populations face a myriad of structural and sociocultural barriers to realising their health and rights, including stigma, discrimination, and laws, policies and practices that undermine women’s rights.

Therefore, a comprehensive approach is essential to address the barriers at multiple levels and advance the SRHR of women and girls.
Informal networks, relationships and trust are essential elements in ensuring access to SRHR services.

As members of their local communities, community leaders, faith leaders, women leaders and local women’s rights groups, youth groups and peer networks, are all recognised as having the potential to advance the health and human rights of women and girls.
Supporting local women-led organisations and promoting the active participation of women and girls in decision-making roles is critical to effective sustainable progress.

4 OECD, 2008.

The Paris Declaration of Aid Effectiveness and the Accra Agenda for Action.

OECD, Paris.

See also; United Nations, January 2013.


‘UN System Tasks Team on the Post-2015 UN Development Agenda.‘ 4 Inquiry into the human rights of women and girls in the PacificSubmission 25 Addressing deeply entrenched gender discrimination and inequality requires women’s meaningful participation to achieve inclusive and effective governance.
Vulnerable or marginalised groups such as adolescent girls, female sex workers, women with disabilities, older women, women of diverse sexual orientation and gender identity, require specific SRHR information and support.

Active engagement and consultation with marginalised groups is essential to ensure provision of services responsive to their needs.
Civil society organisations play an important double role – as advocates for human rights, and as service providers ensuring that access to basic services is maintained and rights can be fulfilled.

Over the past year, IPPF Member Associations in the Pacific engaged with nine youth, women and men’s groups in support of SRHR, holding local advocacy workshops and engaging with governments at regional level to address violence against women and people from diverse SOGIES.
A key success was the Solomon Islands Planned Parenthood Association (SIPPA) engagement with the Tikopia Rugby Club.

Players and officials received training on SRHR issues relevant to their communities, and went on to promote these issues with peers and spectators during sporting events.
Recommendation 2: Support civil society organisations whose work involves meaningful engagement and consultation with women, young people, and other marginalised and underserved communities, as their participation is vital to advancing the human rights of women and girls in all their diversity.

3.

How should engagement of key groups with Australia’s Pacific Step-up occur?

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of strong, robust health systems and universal access to healthcare.
The Pacific Step-Up does not specifically mention health and has no targeted funding support towards health systems strengthening.

Strengthening the six fundamental building blocks of health systems5 is critical to achieving sustained, equitable improvements in health outcomes.

Overlooking this crucial aspect in the Pacific Step-Up risks jeopardising the rights of women and girls, including their SRHR.
In light of this, IPPF commends the prioritisation of health, gender equality and SRHR in Partnerships for Recovery – Australia’s COVID-19 Development Response6 (hereafter Partnerships for Recovery) launched in June 2020.

We welcome the focus in Partnerships for Recovery on strengthening health systems, maintaining essential services including SRHR and addressing the needs of the most vulnerable.
IPPF recommends engagement with key groups be in line with the commitment in Partnerships for Recovery to the “localisation of our assistance through partner government systems and local organisations”.

As highlighted by DFAT, “how we engage is just as important as what we do”.7 Long-term, strategic program partnerships are critical for enabling sustainable positive impacts.

In 5 World Health Organization (WHO), 2007.


Everybody's business - strengthening health systems to improve health outcomes: WHO's framework for action.

WHO; Geneva.

6 Australian Government, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, June 2020.

Partnerships for Recovery: Australia’s COVID- 19 Development Response.

7 Australian Government, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, September 2019.

Stepping Up Australia’s Engagement with our Pacific Family.
5 Inquiry into the human rights of women and girls in the PacificSubmission 25 doing so, this avoids short-term, project-based initiatives that run the risk of duplication, ineffective use of resources, and limited impact.

As an example, IPPF acknowledges and commends DFAT’s critical funding support for the IPPF Niu Vaka Pacific Strategy 2019- 2022 (the Niu Vaka Strategy), which is focused on accelerating progress to improve SRHR outcomes in the region.
DFAT’s multi-year investment in this Strategy is enabling IPPF Member Associations to significantly increase the reach and scope of their work.

In 2019 alone, almost 500,000 SRH services, and almost 1 million health services overall, were delivered in the Pacific.
This long-term investment has allowed Member Associations to increase mobile outreach services, enhance youth engagement, build a robust and vibrant volunteer and peer support network and reach people with SRHR services and awareness programmes in some communities for the first time.

Recommendation 3: Strengthen health systems through investment in strategic, long-term partnerships.

4.

How effective are Australian overseas development assistance programs in supporting the human rights of women and girls?
Australian aid has been an essential backbone of the work conducted by IPPF Member Associations within the Pacific region over many years.

Thanks to Australia’s support IPPF has been able to advance the health and human rights of millions of women and girls, and other vulnerable groups in the region.
Through Australian aid to IPPF’s landmark Niu Vaka Strategy, we have significantly increased our provision of SRH and other health services to communities and expanded our mobile outreach services, enabling us to deliver 58% more SRH services to remote communities.

It has also enabled IPPF to improve access to young people and people with disabilities.

IPPF also commend DFAT’s continued support of SRHR in crisis settings in partnership with IPPF since 2007.
We gratefully acknowledge the additional support to address the dual challenges of COVID-19 and Tropical Cyclone Harold this year.

Australia’s support has helped provide essential life-saving SRH services through emergency responses, supported the integration of SRHR into national level disaster management policies, and contributed to building local, national and regional capacity to respond to SRHR needs in humanitarian settings.

However, crucial gaps remain within the region.


Unprecedented numbers of young people in the Pacific are entering their reproductive years and currently face multiple barriers to realising their SRHR.

There is high unmet need for contraception; high levels of sexual and gender-based violence; and marginalised groups, such as women and girls with disabilities and those with diverse sexuality and gender identities, face further barriers to receiving SRHR information and services.
Targeted investments and partnerships that support the economic, political and social empowerment of women and girls benefit entire families, empower the most marginalised and vulnerable communities, and serve to advance sustainable development.
We commend Australia’s commitment to a “strong emphasis on protecting the most vulnerable, 6 Inquiry into the human rights of women and girls in the PacificSubmission 25 especially women and girls” in the new policy Partnerships for Recovery – Australia’s COVID-19 Development Response, and look forward to working in partnership to advance and health and human rights of women and girls in the Pacific.
Recommendation 4: Prioritise SRHR programs as an essential component of achieving gender equality and advancing the rights of women, girls and marginalised communities within the region.

Thank you for your consideration of this submission.

Sincerely, Lisa Camilleri Chief, Australia and New Zealand Office On behalf of the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) 7 Inquiry into the human rights of women and girls in the PacificSubmission 25