ICPD beyond 2014: moving beyond missed opportunities and compromises in the fulfilment of sexual and reproductive health and rights.

The 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in Cairo marked a paradigm shift that took family planning out of a population control context and into the broader context of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). While progress has been made with increased access to family planning and a decrease in maternal deaths, we have not seen practical results for the majority of women and girls worldwide, who still experience unacceptably high rates of maternal deaths, unmet contraceptive needs and HIV infections. Three of the compromises made by governments at Cairo - integration, reproductive rights and resource allocation - hindered the fulfilment of women's and girls' SRHR.

Sexual and reproductive health and rights: integration as a holistic and rights-based response to HIV/AIDS.

For decades, donors, governments, and civil society have recognized the importance of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in efforts to alleviate poverty and advance gender equality and women's rights. More recently, in the battle against HIV/AIDS--and given the unique challenges the pandemic presents for health and development--the global community has acknowledged the benefits of synergizing sexual and reproductive health and HIV/AIDS interventions. However, the United States has been slow to incorporate lessons learned from the international experience when it comes to integrating HIV/AIDS, SRHR, and gender equality in the fight against HIV/AIDS.