§ Baroness Amos: My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for International Development (Mr Hilary Benn) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
30WS§ I am today publishing a DfID position paper on sexual and reproductive health and rights. It describes progress to date and sets out what remains to be done. It will form the basis for planning future investment and activities. The paper complements the UK's Call for Action on HIV/AIDS and DfID's target strategy papers on Better Health for Poor People and Realising Human Rights for Poor People.
§ The paper recognises sexual and reproductive health and rights as central to human development and to achieving the millennium development goals. The UK is firmly committed to the programme of action of the International Conference on Population and Development of 1994 and its targets of reproductive health for all by 2015. The paper states our continued commitment to work with country governments and partners to achieve improved maternal and newborn health, accessible, high quality family planning choices, elimination of unsafe abortion, reduced incidence of HIV and sexually transmitted infections, greater awareness of sexual health and reduced risky behaviour.
§ The paper recognises the progress that has been made since 1994, but also highlights new challenges, including the increased burden of HIV and AIDS. DfID will use opportunities to integrate HIV and sexual and reproductive health services in ways that respond better to people's needs, especially those of women and young people.
§ I am placing a copy of the paper in the Library of the House. It is also available on DfID's website at www.dfid.gov.uk.
§ Today I am announcing increased funding for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). The UK will be providing £80 million over four years (2004–07) in core funding to UNFPA to support its work on sexual and reproductive health and rights, population and development, and gender. UNFPA's work is also a critical part of HIV/AIDS prevention efforts within the framework of the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).