The Sexual and Reproductive Health Fund (SRH)

Canada supports the goal of ensuring that women and girls in all their diversity can decide what to do with their bodies, their lives and their futures—without question. Canada supports this goal for many reasons, including the following:

• In a number of developing countries, on average only 55% of women aged 15 to 49 years who are married or in a union make their own decisions about sexual relations, the use of contraceptives and reproductive health services.
• An estimated 257 million women who want to avoid pregnancy are not using safe and modern methods of contraception.
• Nearly a quarter of all women are not able to say no to sex.
• Contraceptive use is 53% lower among women who have experienced intimate partner violence.
• Each year, there are approximately 121 million unintended pregnancies around the world; 60% of these end in abortion.
• 45% of abortions performed globally are unsafe, leading to the hospitalization of 7 million women a year and causing 5 to 13% of all maternal deaths.

Sexual and reproductive health and rights are essential for gender equality and health

• A lack of attention to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) contributes directly to maternal mortality, poor health and the disenfranchisement of women and girls.
• When women and—particularly—adolescent girls have information and decision-making power, they can stay healthy, avoid unwanted pregnancies, prevent or treat sexually transmitted infections—including HIV—reduce their risk of experiencing sexual and gender-based violence, complete more years of school and obtain the education and skills they need to become economically productive.
• Evidence demonstrates the positive links between SRHR and women and girls’ economic empowerment; it is estimated that with each additional child born to a woman between the ages of 25 and 39, labour participation decreases by 10 to 15%.

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