IPU called for "urgent" action to ensure victims of violence have access to essential health services

13 October 2022
Media release
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Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (PMNCH) on Thursday, October 13, 2022 called on participants to the 145th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) to "urgent and targeted action to ensure victims of violence, especially women and girls, have access to essential health services, including mental health support," according to a statement sent to the IPA .

"Parliamentarians have a vital role to play in ensuring that the health and wellbeing of women, children and adolescents is a priority in humanitarian emergencies. We would like the IPU resolution to be strengthened to include more progressive and explicit language on the need for comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights, adolescent health and wellbeing, and mental health services," said André Ndayambaje, member of PMNCH Strategic Advocacy Committee and Health-Care Professional Associations Constituency.

For Mr. Ndayambaje, parliamentarians can advocate and co-design preparedness and response mechanisms to deal with future pandemics and emergencies that put the needs of vulnerable women and girls at the center of their concerns.

"Parliamentarians can ensure that decision-makers and practitioners receive advice on prevention and health promotion in order to provide emergency services and responses, in conditions where populations are forcibly displaced. Parliamentarians can champion comprehensive policies and programs for adolescent wellbeing, as well as long-term investments for humanitarian responses," he added.

The 145th IPU Assembly and its related meetings are taking place in Kigali, Rwanda between 11 and 15 October 2022. The general debate focuses on its main theme, "Gender equality and gender-sensitive parliaments: drivers of change for a more resilient and peaceful world".

The Assembly will adopt resolutions on an emergency item as well as on the subject matter selected by the Standing Committee on Democracy and Human Rights entitled, "The parliamentary impetus for local and regional development in the countries with a high rate of international migration," as well as the cessation of all forms of human trafficking and violation of human rights.

This piece was originally published on AIP.