DONOR SUPPORT FOR CONTRACEPTIVES AND CONDOMS FOR STI/HIV PREVENTION 2005

At the 2005 World Summit, leaders from around the world reaffirmed their commitment to universal access to reproductive health by 2015 - a critical step towards the realization of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Many developing ountries to this day rely on donated and subsidized commodities. And while the ultimate goal is to achieve national self-reliance in terms of contraceptive supply, donor support for RH commodities is and will remain in the foreseeable future a critical factor in meeting the demand in those countries. Better reproductive health depends crucially on the ability of individuals to exercise the right to decide freely and responsibly the number and spacing of their children. Contraceptive commodities, along with demand creation programming, are essential in making this right a reality for women and couples in developing countries.