A Pacific Sexual Health and Well-being Shared Agenda is to be rolled out in the Pacific region with a framework to extend the accessibility of sexual health care services to all people.
Endorsed by the Pacific Directors of Health last week in Fiji, the shared agenda will be tabled for consideration at the Pacific Ministers of Health meeting in the Solomon Islands in July 2014.
Michelle O’Connor the Sexual Reproductive Health Policy and Planning Adviser of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) said the agenda provides Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICT) with a guiding framework for extending access to sexual health services to all people, including vulnerable groups such as homosexuals, young people, women, seafarers and sex workers.
She said the shared agenda advocates for a comprehensive rights-based approach to sexual health where all people have the knowledge, skills and tools within a supportive environment to protect and promote their sexual health wellbeing and human rights.
The shared agenda is a regional framework but is flexible enough to meet PICTs unique and diverse needs. It was developed in partnership with the PICTs after extensive consultation with Pacific Ministries of Health, civil society organizations and development partners, she said.
Tim Rwabuhemba the UNAIDS Country Director for the Pacific said the agenda captured current thinking and aligned with the post-2015 development agenda.
"With this innovative document, the Pacific is ahead of the rest of the world paving in the way for integrating HIV and other STIs into sexual and reproductive health."
The agenda was developed in recognitition to the fact that the Pacific region faces a number of complex issues that cannot be effectively addressed by a single focus on disease areas, but include alarmingly high rates of gender based violence and sexual assault, teenage pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections.
The development of the agenda was led by SPC in partnership with the United Nations, the International Planned Parenthood Foundation, the International Federation of the Red Cross, the Oceania Society for Sexual Health and HIV Medicine. Its supported by the Pacific Islands HIV and STI Respond Fund and the Global Fund to fight aids, tuberculosis and malaria.