UNFPA-Sexual and Reprodutive Health and Rights,   (SRHR), Gambella 2015 UNFPA-Sexual and Reprodutive Health and Rights,   (SRHR), Gambella 2015 The proposed intervention intends to address inadequate sexual reproductive health and rights (SRHR) among the South Sudan refugees and local host communities in Gambella Region. Unlike food and medical supplies which are often provided instantly for refugees and displaced people, the SRHR services and needs are largely overlooked in response to relief assistance for refugees. However, they are of no less importance to the refugees as women, girls and children, who constitute the big majority of the refugee population, suffer disproportionately from sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), unwanted pregnancies, unsafe delivery and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), including HIV and AIDS. In most conflict settings these risks are heightened as women and girls lack means to protect themselves and their families. Without targeted SRHR intervention women and girls face an increased risk of early and forced marriage, sexual abuse and exchanging of sex for basic goods. The intervention will help increase availability of women friendly spaces to create women’s and girls’ awareness on and risk reduction of SGBV, post abortion care, treatment of STIs and HIV testing kits.

The intervention will target 277,756 people of which 188,875 are South Sudan refugees located in Leitchor, Terkidi and & Kule refugee camps in NyeinNyang, Lare and Itang Woredas and 88,881 are surrounding host communities in the same Woreda.

The intervention aims to  help increase  improved availability, access and use of comprehensive SRHR services, reduced prevalence of sexual gender-based violence (SGBV); Increased access and utilization of Basic Emergency Obstetric and New-born Care (BEmONC) and Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and New-born care (CEmONC) services; and reduced incidence of HIV among the refugees and the host communities..

Given that refugees reside alongside host communities, the needs of host communities and refugees are inextricably linked. Public services in host communities surrounding the refugees are usually stretched beyond their capacity as they are facing an unprecedented increase in demand for health and other social services. To mitigate the impact of refugee on host communities, the intervention will reinforce basic services to host populations. It will also provide lifesaving medical assistance, reproductive and maternal drugs, equipment and supplies, train health staffs and buffer them through secondment of staffs and strengthen the referral system through provision of ambulances to increase the provision of services. 

In both refugee and host communities, adolescent and young people reproductive health services are provided in the context of general health services. In order to create access to family planning service, treatment of STIs/HIV, post abortion care, and information on for young peoples without barrier, the intervention will provide adolescent and youth focused reproductive health services and information. It will also produce Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials on RH, HIV and GBV materials in local language and distribute to the refugees and local communities through camp and local health facilities and encourage their adoption. By doing so, the intervention will address the aforementioned critical gaps in the area of RH, GBV and HIV.

A total of 11,2 MSEK budget has been allocated for the intervention to be implemented from December 2014-December 2015. Den avsedda insatsen är ett stöd till UNFPA:s projekt Sexuell- och Reproduktiv Hälsa svar till sydsudanesiska flyktingar och kringliggande samhällen i Gambella. Insatsen ämnar under 2015 nå ut till de 188 875 sydsudanesiska flyktingarna i lägren Leitchor, Terkidi och Kule, belägna i NyeinNyang, Lare och Itang Woredas. Utöver detta vill man hjälpa 88 881 kringliggande samhällen som också agerar som gästsamhällen åt flyktingarna. Målsättningen är att öka tillgången och användningen av SRH-tjänster av ovan angivna grupper. 

SRH-tjänster finns sällan med som en del av nödhjälpen som ges till flyktingläger, trots att kvinnor, flickor och barn utgör majoriteten av flyktingarna, och lider oproportionellt av GBV; oönskade graviditeter; osäkra födsloförhållanden; och sexuellt överförna sjukdomar (STD:s), däribland HIV/AIDs. I många konfliktsituationer är dessa risker förhöjda eftersom kvinnor och flickor saknar möjlighet att skydda sig själva och sina familjer. 

Insatsen kommer att öka tillgängligheten och användningen av omfattande SHR-tjänster, minska förekomsten av GBV, öka tillgänglighet och användning av BEmONC- och CEmONC-tjänster, samt minska förekomsten av HIV/AIDs bland flyktingar och kringliggande samhällen. Ordinarie offentliga tjänster mäktar ofta inte med att tillgodose tjänster åt alla vid flyktingkriser, med tanke på den kraftigt ökade efterfrågan som kommer genom en så stark tillströmning av människor. För att motverka detta kommer insatsen att stärka basala tjänster hos runtliggande samhällen, bidra med medicinsk assistans, mödravårdsläkemedel och utrustning, att träna hälsoarbetare och att öka arbetseffektiviteten av lokala hälsoinstitutioner genom att ge ambulanser till Gambellas sjukhus. Insatsen kommer därutöver att bidra med reproduktiva hälsotjänster och information till ungdomar och unga vuxna.