To capture the spirit of Policy and Coordination Committee (PCC) members celebrating HRP’s 50th anniversary and its numerous achievements, Sweden and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland read the following note of appreciation and congratulations at the 36th meeting of the HRP PCC.
Our generation has seen more progress in science and technology than all preceding generations together and witnessed several intellectual, technological, medical and social transformation spearheaded by the contraceptive revolution and followed by advances in reproductive health, health innovations as well as rights and gender equality. However, considerable challenges in the field of SRHR continue, and, arguably, some advances are in question again today.
We applaud HRP-staff, partners and supporters on the numerous achievements to date and recognise the enormous strides accomplished during half a century in producing the evidence that supports full and equal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights.
We would like to outline three major categories of achievements: Firstly, the high-quality research by HRP has had tangible impact on public health policy, standards, and practice worldwide addressing the evolving needs of diverse populations. Secondly, HRP, notably through the HRP Alliance, has strengthened research institutions locally and globally, and, enabled numerous researchers to acquire the research skills that ensure that high-quality SRHR research can continue, and indeed increase, into the future. Thirdly, in a world beset by crisis, conflict and increasing resistance to gender equality, HRP has facilitated the upholding of the basic rights of women and girls and vulnerable populations.
HRP remains the main instrument within the United Nations system for research in human reproduction and continues to be an exceptional leader in global sexual and reproductive health. HRP and its partners have brought us closer to the promise of the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development and its call to put the rights of individuals, especially women and girls, at the heart of sustainable development.
We want to express our appreciation and gratitude to the HRP secretariat, its partners, co-sponsors and the global network of collaborating centres and experts helping to ensure its efforts contribute to making a difference to the women, men, children, adolescents and various communities HRP is committed to serve.
On behalf of PCC members, allow us to reaffirm our partnership with you to support the achievements of HRP, upon which the success of the 2030 Agenda depends.