Norway at ICPD+10: international assistance for reproductive health does not reflect domestic policies.
Norway has a long history of good reproductive health care, with some of the world's best reproductive health indicators. Early reduction of maternal mortality, good services for abortion, contraception and sexually transmitted diseases, a low rate of adolescent pregnancies and a low number people with HIV are examples, achieved through an integrated, publicly provided and funded health care package. Official Norwegian development assistance started in 1952. Emphasis on family planning assistance dates back to 1966, making Norway one of the most consistent donors to family planning and reproductive health programmes. Norway also had a high profile at the International Conference on Population and Development and strongly supported the Programme of Action. Since then, while multilateral support in these areas has stayed high, bilateral support has been downscaled. Overall, international assistance does not reflect the domestic approach to reproductive health services. Norway has given little development support to improvement of maternity services, avoided the issues of abortion and post-coital contraception, and passed up opportunities to support adolescent services. Prevention and treatment of infertility has hardly been an issue. Revitalisation of the reproductive rights discourse in Norway could provide a basis for the protection of reproductive health care domestically, and for policy discussions and decisions in relation to Norway's development assistance.
Austveg
Berit
B
Norwegian Board of Health, Oslo, Norway. ba@helsetilsynet.no
Sundby
Johanne
J
D003226:Congresses as Topic; D005260:Female; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D007391:International Cooperation; D009664:Norway; D034121:Reproductive Health Services / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000600:supply & distribution; D013222:State Medicine / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*