Some 36 experts around the globe attended two Expert Consultations on the impact of health sector reform on sexual and reproductive health, in Cape Town, South Africa.

Some 36 experts around the globe attended two Expert Consultations on the impact of health sector reform on sexual and reproductive health, in Cape Town, South Africa. Held over April 21-29, 2003, the consultation was the first public activity held under the Rights and Reform Project and coordinated by South Africa based Women's Health Project. Six global papers and another 12 papers were presented by the Rights and Reform team on the issues of health financing, methodologies for priority setting, public/private partnerships, decentralisation, integration and accountability. Through a process of review, analyses, identifying gaps and setting of priority issues, the consultations will feed into the second phase of the project. The aims of this research and advocacy initiative are as follows: Strengthening understanding amongst activists and decision-makers on the role of health sector reform in facilitating or undermining efforts to achieve sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) policies and programmes and secondly, identifying and advocating for strategies to maximise positive outcomes with regard to sexual and reproductive health and services. The outputs expected at the end of phase one, would include a book comprising the six integrated papers which will identify key advocacy issues.

Contact: The Rights and Reform, Women's Health Project, PO Box 1038, Johannesburg 2000, South Africa. Fax: [phone]; Email: [e-mail]. Website:www.wits.ac.za/whp/rightsandreforms