We monitor progress in the region as well as gaps and restrictions, within the frameworks of various international processes such as ICPD, MDGs and the BPfA. Looking at pregnancy and childbirth-related mortality and morbidity indicators, we advocate for a context-specific rights-based continuum of quality care (CQC) for reproductive health.

We monitor indicators such as Total Fertility Rates (TFR), Wanted Fertility Rates, Contraceptive Prevalence Rates, men’s contraception use as a percentage of total contraception use, Informed Choice in using contraception, Unmet Need for Contraception, Non Use of Contraception and Emergency Contraception. We believe that contraception is not only an issue of access to health services but of women being able to decide on the number, timing and spacing of the children they bear.

We have recognized that advocacy is almost the only means whereby laws, policy and practice in countries can be changed and have been facilitating the sharing of experiences among concerned and committed people and organisations through our various partnerships.

As interventions on reproductive cancers are considered more costly than those for contraception or maternal health, there is a greater struggle in establishing women’s rights to access preventive and curative services. Additionally, unequal socio-economic situations coupled with socio-cultural barriers and poor or inadequate health care infrastructures impede the prevention, treatment and care of reproductive cancers.

HIV intervention focuses on high-risk behaviour groups such as sex workers, men who have sex with men and injectable drug users. As a result, the larger population, who are at risk of STI but do not fall under the high-risk categories, are not prioritised for prevention and treatment programmes. Although in some countries a concentrated effort has been made to target young men and women in prevention against HIV and STIs, the status of HIV/ AIDS prevention is mixed across the region.

ARROW, particularly through the Women’s Health and Rights Advocacy Partnership South East Asia (WHRAP-SEA) and the Global South Youth partnership advocates for rights-based, non-discriminatory, evidence-based and youth-friendly comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) that recognizes and caters to the evolving capacities of young people. Recently, ARROW launched a mobile app titled SAFE (Sexuality Awareness for Everyone), a knowledge source on sexuality awareness.

The WHRAP-SEA partnership (http://srhr4youth.org) has been working through capacity building, evidence generation and partnership to address the issues of young people’s SRHR and the Global South Youth partnership has been monitoring and reviewing the status of young people’s SRHR. We recognize the close inter-linkages between young people’s SRHR and other issues that affect them such as unemployment, education, etc. and have mobilized young people around various international events.