6. CARE’s policy commitments

CARE’s emergency response programmes should strive to support health infrastructure and systems to provide essential sexual and reproductive health services and care as well as treating the prevalent communicable and non-communicable diseases. It is imperative to CARE’s commitment to empowering women and girls that reproductive health remains a robust sector of service delivery. Even in emergencies, inclusive SRMH services must be maintained and promoted for the well-being and health of women, girls, men and boys. This is required for women and girls to be able to exercise not only their rights to reproductive health and a life free from violence, but also their rights to adequate food and nutrition, secure livelihood, and hope for themselves and their families.

All efforts should be made to maintain a global commitment to internationally approved guidelines and protocols for delivery and administration in these areas of health to the affected population. CARE is particularly committed to the care of women and their families, and response to comprehensive reproductive health in emergency situations. This includes a commitment to the MISP (Annex 26.5.3), being a signatory to the Inter-agency Field Manual on Reproductive Health in Humanitarian Settings (Annex 26.5.4), NGO code of practice guidelines on emergency and HIV (Annex 26.5.5) and participation in the development of the IASC Guidelines for addressing HIV in humanitarian situations.