World Refugee Day Press Release
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, June 18—At this moment, more than 65 million refugees, asylum seekers, stateless and
internally displaced persons have been uprooted from their homes due to conflict, persecution and natural disaster.
Approximately three-quarters of them are women, youth and children. In displaced and refugee settings, simple tasks
such as fetching firewood or going to the latrine can place women and girls at increased risk of sexual violence. Loss of
basic health services in refugee settings exposes women and girls to greater risk of pregnancy related death, ill health,
unwanted pregnancy and HIV transmission. Sexual and reproductive health problems persist to be the leading cause of
women’s ill health and death worldwide. Despite this, these needs are routinely ignored in displaced settings.
“Although progress has been made in advancing reproductive health in conflict and disasters, displaced women and
girls continue to be raped, contract HIV and die in childbirth,” said Dr Anna Whelan, IPPF-ESEAOR’s Regional Director.
“This is simply unacceptable.”
This Sunday June 20th, IPPF-ESEAOR is celebrating World Refugee Day by acknowledging the rights of all refugees and
internally displaced people to access sexual and reproductive health services. International law emphasizes the link
between the universal right to health and providing access to reproductive health care to all people, regardless of
citizenship- including the Geneva Conventions, Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against
Women (CEDAW); and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR). The International
Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) specifically includes the right of victims of sexual violence, in
displaced settings, to access adequate services. The weak implementation of these rights continues to cost lives and
cause ill health.
IPPF-ESEAOR and its partners work to address the sexual and reproductive health rights of refugees and displaced
people, in Malaysia, throughout the region and globally. Since 2009, IPPF’s member association, the Federation of
Reproductive Health Associations Malaysia (FRHAM), with funding from the Japanese Government, has been working
closely with Burmese refugees and community health workers, to deliver relevant and culturally sensitive outreach
services. Through the AusAID funded SPRINT Initiative, an inter-agency collaboration with IPPF, UNFPA, UNHCR, the
University of New South Wales and the Australian Reproductive Health Alliance, over 3,900 people in 68 countries
have been trained on how to address sexual and reproductive health in humanitarian emergencies. It has helped
respond to devastating natural disasters in Indonesia, Philippines and Myanmar. IPPF is proud to work with its partners
to help realize the sexual and reproductive health rights of refugees and displaced people around the world.
internally displaced persons have been uprooted from their homes due to conflict, persecution and natural disaster.
Approximately three-quarters of them are women, youth and children. In displaced and refugee settings, simple tasks
such as fetching firewood or going to the latrine can place women and girls at increased risk of sexual violence. Loss of
basic health services in refugee settings exposes women and girls to greater risk of pregnancy related death, ill health,
unwanted pregnancy and HIV transmission. Sexual and reproductive health problems persist to be the leading cause of
women’s ill health and death worldwide. Despite this, these needs are routinely ignored in displaced settings.
“Although progress has been made in advancing reproductive health in conflict and disasters, displaced women and
girls continue to be raped, contract HIV and die in childbirth,” said Dr Anna Whelan, IPPF-ESEAOR’s Regional Director.
“This is simply unacceptable.”
This Sunday June 20th, IPPF-ESEAOR is celebrating World Refugee Day by acknowledging the rights of all refugees and
internally displaced people to access sexual and reproductive health services. International law emphasizes the link
between the universal right to health and providing access to reproductive health care to all people, regardless of
citizenship- including the Geneva Conventions, Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against
Women (CEDAW); and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR). The International
Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) specifically includes the right of victims of sexual violence, in
displaced settings, to access adequate services. The weak implementation of these rights continues to cost lives and
cause ill health.
IPPF-ESEAOR and its partners work to address the sexual and reproductive health rights of refugees and displaced
people, in Malaysia, throughout the region and globally. Since 2009, IPPF’s member association, the Federation of
Reproductive Health Associations Malaysia (FRHAM), with funding from the Japanese Government, has been working
closely with Burmese refugees and community health workers, to deliver relevant and culturally sensitive outreach
services. Through the AusAID funded SPRINT Initiative, an inter-agency collaboration with IPPF, UNFPA, UNHCR, the
University of New South Wales and the Australian Reproductive Health Alliance, over 3,900 people in 68 countries
have been trained on how to address sexual and reproductive health in humanitarian emergencies. It has helped
respond to devastating natural disasters in Indonesia, Philippines and Myanmar. IPPF is proud to work with its partners
to help realize the sexual and reproductive health rights of refugees and displaced people around the world.
For more information, please contact:
Sarah Chynoweth. Programme Manager. SPRINT Initiative. SChynoweth@ippfeseaor.org . +6 012 978 8790
Sarah Chynoweth. Programme Manager. SPRINT Initiative. SChynoweth@ippfeseaor.org . +6 012 978 8790
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