Sexual and reproductive health

Public health

Sexual and reproductive health

These services, such as maternal and newborn care and support for survivors of gender-based violence, are critical for saving lives and protecting refugees’ well-being.

These services – such as maternal and newborn care, clinical and psychosocial support for survivors of gender-based violence, and tailored HIV prevention, treatment, and care - are essential for upholding individual rights, particularly in refugee contexts. However, despite progress, sexual and reproductive health services are often not available at the onset of a refugee crisis, and comprehensive care can remain inaccessible throughout the displacement cycle, leaving many without the support they need.

How does UNHCR help refugees access sexual and reproductive health services?

UNHCR recognizes that sexual and reproductive health is a lifelong concern, affecting individuals from infancy through old age. To address these needs, UNHCR works in close collaboration with host governments, UN and NGO partners to enhance the quality of sexual and reproductive health services and ensure they are accessible to refugees. By strengthening community outreach work, primary health care facilities and referral hospitals, we ensure a seamless continuum of care for those in need. These programmes are tailored to meet the evolving challenges individuals face at different stages of their lives, including the specific needs of adolescents, people with diverse sexual orientations and other vulnerable groups, ensuring their well-being throughout their life course.  

Working with these partners, UNHCR provides essential medicines, medical equipment and supplies, and facilitates referrals while also training and supporting government and partner health staff.

Community health workers, many of whom are refugees themselves, play a vital role in delivering culturally and linguistically tailored information, referrals, and support. By providing information and resources that align with the unique needs of their communities, they empower individuals and families to make informed decisions and improve their overall well-being.

While women and girls are central to sexual and reproductive health strategies, the needs of men and boys are equally addressed through inclusive approaches. UNHCR and its partners strive to deliver culturally sensitive sexual and reproductive health programmes that promote gender equality and inclusion, ensuring the availability of high-quality, holistic care that adheres to universally recognized standards.

Maternal and newborn care

Refugee mothers benefit from maternity unit in Natukobenyo hospital

Refugee mothers benefit from the maternity unit of the Natukobenyo Health Center in Kenya.

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Most maternal and newborn deaths are preventable when skilled care is accessible before, during and after childbirth. Treatments exist for life-threatening conditions, including inter alia post-partum hemorrhage (severe bleeding usually after delivery), eclampsia (complications of high blood pressure during pregnancy) and infection.

UNHCR works to improve maternal and newborn care by ensuring access to essential services, including prenatal, childbirth, and postnatal care for refugees. This includes providing medical supplies, training skilled birth attendants (such as midwives) in emergency obstetrics and newborn care and strengthening health facilities to support safe deliveries and reduce maternal and newborn mortality.

Innovative, low-cost, high-impact interventions, such as Kangaroo Mother Care, are also promoted, along with structured community health worker visits to mothers who have recently given birth, to enhance maternal and infant health outcomes.

Integrated support for survivors of gender-based violence

UNHCR addresses gender-based violence (GBV) through comprehensive approaches that emphasize multisectoral risk mitigation, prevention and response. Comprehensive care for survivors is integrated into public health programming, providing immediate clinical care, and psychosocial support and enabling referral to protection, legal and other services.

UNHCR ensures that SRH services for survivors are accessible, confidential, and safe, while also connecting with protection programmes to provide preventive measures such as awareness campaigns, community outreach, and education on rights and available services. Together with its partners, UNHCR strengthens health systems to better respond to GBV and trains health workers to provide sensitive and appropriate care while fostering a supportive environment for survivors to seek help.

HIV prevention, treatment and care

Refugees face unique challenges in HIV prevention and management. Refugees and other displaced persons may have lacked access to HIV awareness, diagnostic services, or treatment in their country of origin, or experienced interruptions in care during their displacement. In host countries, access to HIV prevention services, information and education may be hampered by language, cultural or structural barriers. 

UNHCR addresses the HIV-related needs of refugees through a comprehensive approach that ensures access to prevention, care, treatment, and support services. Collaborating with host governments, the Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malariaLink is external, UN agencies, and partners, UNHCR integrates HIV services into primary healthcare and community outreach programs. These efforts include providing HIV testing and counselling, antiretroviral therapy, and prevention methods such as condoms and awareness campaigns.

Special attention is given to addressing barriers like language, stigma, and cultural differences by training healthcare providers and community health workers to offer services and information in culturally sensitive ways. UNHCR also supports uninterrupted HIV treatment during displacement and works to raise awareness about HIV prevention and management within refugee communities to ensure equitable access to life-saving care.

UNHCR and the World Food Programme are cosponsors of the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and co-convene an Inter-Agency Task Team (IATT) on HIV in emergenciesLink is external.

Midwife students get practical hands-on training in Bamyan Provincial Hospital, Afghanistan. The programme is dedicated to empowering local women with the knowledge and skills necessary to provide essential maternal and newborn care, as well as addressing the shortage of healthcare professionals in the region.

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Risks of unintended pregnancies and maternal/newborn deaths  

Contraceptive coverage in many humanitarian contexts is low. An important number of women and girls who have previously chosen a modern contraceptive method are deprived of access once the crisis starts.

There are also increased risks of unintended pregnancies and maternal and newborn deaths in conflict situations and humanitarian settings. Additionally, the lack of barrier methods such as condoms can increase the risk of sexually transmitted infections.  

UNHCR works with partners in developing guidance, providing operational support and training of government and partner health workers and community health workers.