How to ensure the sexual and reproductive health and rights of Ukrainian refugees?

Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine more then 4,6 million Ukrainians or no less then a quarter of the population have fled to neighbouring countries, mainly Poland, Hungary, Romania, Moldova, Slovakia and Belarus. Over 7 million Ukranians are internally displaced. Women and children make up the majority of Ukranian refugees and their human rights are at risk.  

A newly published policy paper by the Academic Network for Reproductive Health and Rights Policies (ANSER) and the European Parliamentary Forum for Sexual and Reproductive Rights (EPF) provides insights into the challenges war and displacement cause Ukranian refugees. They face limited access to contraceptives and safe abortion care, and are hence faced with and an increased risk of unplanned pregnancies, unsafe pregnancies, unsafe abortions and unsafe deliveries.

Refugees are also known to be at a higher risk of sexual and gender-based violence. LGBTIQ+ persons and other discriminated groups also risk violations of their sexual and reproductive health and rights. The paper outlines these problems and provides policy makers with concrete recommendations on what can be done to prevent and/or remediate this health crisis and ensure refugees’ human rights are protected.  

The ANSER-EPF policy paper is available in 4 languages: 

• ENG: ‘Ensuring Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights of Ukrainian Refugees’ 
• FR: ‘Garantir la santé et les droits sexuels et reproductifs des réfugié.e.s ukrainien.ne.s’ 
• NL: ‘Het garanderen van seksuele en reproductieve gezondheid en rechten van Oekraïense vluchtelingen’ 
• ES: 'Garantizar la salud y los derechos sexuales y reproductivos de las y los refugiados ucranianos'