{
  "id": 7911343,
  "title": "Global sexual and reproductive health and rights under threat, warn experts",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/17/global-sexual-and-reproductive-health-and-rights-under-threat-warn",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-09-17T00:40:04.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Medical Xpress",
    "slug": "medical-xpress",
    "url": "https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-global-sexual-reproductive-health-rights.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "As global leaders convene at the 81st UN General Assembly session, a group of health and political experts warn that merging U.N. Women and UNFPA may undermine efforts to safeguard sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). Protecting SRHR – which encompasses access to contraception, safe pregnancy and birth care, and relationship education – is vital for health, gender equality, and broader development. This article, published in The BMJ alongside a special collection of seven articles, examines threats from U.S. policy changes, reduced multilateral cooperation, significant funding cuts, and a growing anti-rights movement.\n\nEdited by Clinton Foundation Vice Chair Chelsea Clinton, the collection highlights a 46% drop in official development assistance from 2024 to 2026, which could lead to 40–55 million extra unintended pregnancies and 12–16 million unsafe abortions in 51 countries. U.S. funding reductions alone pose a severe risk. Clinton urges health and political leaders to act now to create resilient, equitable, and accountable SRHR systems.\n\nSenior Associate Dean at CUNY SPH, Dr. McGovern, argues against the merger of U.N. Women and UNFPA, emphasizing that merging these agencies weakens their independent mandates. She warns that decades of progress in protecting SRHR could be undone unless the UN prioritizes human rights. The collection collectively advocates for maintaining independent mandates, robust financing, and strong civil society involvement to protect global SRHR.",
  "summary": "As world leaders gather at the 81st session of the U.N. General Assembly (UNGA 81), experts in a special collection of articles published by The BMJ warn that the proposed merger of U.N. Women and the U.N. Population Fund (UNFPA)—two vital institutions for protecting sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR)—will weaken global commitments to gender equality.",
  "key_points": [
    "Merging U.N. Women and UNFPA could undermine SRHR protection",
    "U.S. funding reductions pose severe risk to SRHR",
    "46% drop in official development assistance threatens SRHR"
  ],
  "editors_take": "Merging U.N. Women and UNFPA would undermine efforts to safeguard sexual and reproductive health and rights, threatening decades of progress in protecting these fundamental rights and broader development goals.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}