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Linking Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) services with HIV/AIDS interventions in practice

In this climate of harmonization, collaboration, increased accountability, and spurred by pressure to make more significant headway toward reaching the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in the next five years, the political and programmatic importance of linking sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and HIV responses has been increasingly gaining momentum. The rationale, laid out since 2004, is indisputable – the majority of HIV infections are sexually transmitted or are associated with pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding; and the risk of HIV transmission and acquisition can be further increased due to the presence of certain sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Moreover, sexual and reproductive ill-health and HIV share root causes, including economic inequality, limited access to appropriate information, gender inequality, harmful cultural norms and social marginalisation of the most vulnerable populations.