The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) has used the occasion of World Population Day 2021 to promote the sexual and reproductive health and rights of women and girls.

Numerous studies have shown that many countries appear to have de-prioritised access to sexual and reproductive services due to fear of potential exposure to Covid-19 infection.

UNFPA representative in Cambodia Daniel Alemu said: “I would like to take this opportunity to call on all stakeholders to promote and continue prioritising sexual and reproductive health and rights of all people, including the unfettered access to sexual and reproductive health information and services.”

Daniel made the remarks during the World Population Day 2021 virtual celebration, which was held under the theme of “Rights and Choices are the Answer”. It was arranged by UNFPA in Cambodia via video conference on July 20.

He said that in Cambodia, through a number of UNFPA-supported studies and assessments in 2020 and 2021, essential health services including sexual, reproductive and maternal health services remain largely functional across the country.

However, fear of exposure to infection may have adversely impacted the utilisation of some essential services such as antenatal and postnatal care and family planning, particularly in the first six months of this year.

According to Daniel, these studies showed that “women and girls appear to de-prioritise access to sexual and reproductive services due to fear of potential exposure to Covid-19 infection”.

He said any disruption in these services could derail gains undermining the health and wellbeing of most vulnerable women and girls, with adverse consequences that can last a lifetime.

“Let us recommit to working together to uphold the rights of women and girls to bodily autonomy and their informed decision on when and if to have a family.

“Only through guaranteeing rights and choices for all women and girls can we significantly advance and scale up our national development efforts and realize agenda 2030,” Daniel said.

Minister of Women’s Affairs Ing Kantha Phavi said at the ceremony that her ministry in cooperation with the Ministry of Health and with the support of relevant partner organisations, have been working to strengthen and expand interventions on reproductive and sexual health.

“However, the spread of Covid-19 makes the implementation of the national strategy on reproductive and sexual Health 2017-2020 challenging to effect the provision of services and information on reproductive and sexual health, including redistribute resources for the provision of services and dissemination of information that affect the health of women and girls,” she said.

Lo Veasnakiry, secretary of state for the Ministry of Health, said at the ceremony that women and girls still have access to reproductive health, maternal and child health and other essential health services at health facilities across the country in line with demand.

Minister of Planning Chhay Thorn said at the event that nowadays almost all state hospitals, health centres and some public places are used and reserved for the treatment of Covid-19 patients and quarantine.

“As a result, the general public health sector is also affected, especially reproductive health, and so women and girls are at risk,” he said.