Sexual & Reproductive Health

Investing in women and girls for our common future has never been more important. And yet health systems are not always designed to support their sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR).

If current trends persist, an estimated 470 million women will continue to lack access to sexual and reproductive health services in 2030.

We’re building on 50+ years of experience and partnership to advance SRHR – from voluntary family planning to critical, but often neglected components of SRHR – to ensure women and girls can lead healthy lives and participate as equals in society.

Along with our partners, we instill policies and practices to safeguard equitable access to quality, person-centered reproductive healthcare even in the event of climate-related shocks and other disruptions. This work is grounded in strategic partnerships with governments, the private sector, communities, individual consumers, and other key stakeholders to innovate and scale person-centered solutions to meet the diverse needs of people, wherever and whenever they need care, without discrimination.

“We believe all people can and should have control over their sexuality, sexual health and fertility; and that this is best achieved when people have greater voice, choice and agency over the services that most affect them, and access to person-centered, quality care that meets them where they are. “

— Alison Malmqvist, Director , Sexual and Reproductive Health, PSI

Our Approach
To Advancing Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights

Our work is grounded in ensuring the rights of all are protected and promoted so that everyone has equitable to quality care and comprehensive information without discrimination. We know that access to SRHR isn’t just about preventing an unplanned pregnancy – it’s about building resilience in the world we are living in for a better future for all.

Scaling person-centered, quality care

We take a holistic approach to quality of care designed around principles of respect, inclusivity, and tailored support that leads to a positive experience and improved health outcomes. Our teams are locally rooted, giving us a deep understanding of how individual and societal behaviors influence decisions and experience of care, applying these insights to inform policy, generate demand, and address capacity gaps at each level of the health system. Through our commitment to evidence-based decision-making, we are setting the stage for transformative changes in person-centered SRHR.

Accelerating access to self-care solutions

Self-care interventions reduce stress on health systems. We specialize in understanding the challenges of self-care solutions and build coalitions to systematically increase their acceptance and uptake. Our strategic partnerships with governments and stakeholders help to operationalize self-care frameworks that complement health systems, scale self-care methods like self-inject contraception to improve people’s health autonomy, and support self-care as an avenue to help achieve Universal Health Coverage.

Strengthening and sustaining the health workforce

We’re supporting providers to address SRHR needs more holistically, building care capacity for menstruation, infertility, cervical cancer, female sexual pleasure, abortion-related care, sexually transmitted diseases and gender-based violence. Public and private sector partnerships power health worker capacity-building programs, including tailored skills-building, coaching and mentorship support. We support governments to institutionalize continuous quality improvement systems to deliver client-centered reproductive, maternal and child health care. Through this integrated approach, we ensure that primary health care services are not only accessible but also tailored to meet the diverse needs of the communities we serve.

Harnessing technology and innovation

This is an era of SRHR innovation – with new contraceptive technologies, telehealth, and e-commerce platforms in the pipeline. We are taking these innovations from idea to market impactfully and sustainably by leveraging our partnerships with governments, donors, commercial partners, and research and development organizations. Catalyzing change is a challenge, but when we embrace digital technology and SRHR innovation to strengthen every level of the health system, we can connect people with the quality care they want and need.

Elevating voice and choice for individuals and communities

We partner with individuals, communities, civil society and public and private sector actors to forge a path towards locally owned and sustainable health solutions. Client and provider insights make our services more respectful, responsive and stigma-free and our technical experts use human-centered design principles to build new approaches to healthcare alongside consumers from around the world. For example, our flagship youth program is designed, implemented, and scaled by girls, for girls, to plan their futures and achieve their goals.

Catalyzing and Supporting
Local Change

Lead locally, connect globally

Local leadership is the key to building stronger SRHR systems that respond to unique community needs and priorities. We leverage partnerships with consumers, communities, health systems, and businesses to shift power to local leaders, advocate for localization on a global scale, and drive locally-led SRHR systems strengthening.

Building stronger SRHR systems
relies on strategic partnerships

As PSI, we take risks to implement and reform market interventions, addressing deeply rooted barriers with technical expertise and tactical experience to increase access to critical health products and services. However, for market reform to evolve into a robust and person-centered health product and service delivery response, we need guidance and multi-sectoral collaboration with governments, drug agencies, pharmaceutical manufacturers, healthcare providers, and communities.