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During a new multiparty initiative on global health and sexual and reproductive health & rights (SRHR) in the Netherlands, eight parliamentarians from different political parties made their commitment to global health and SRHR official by signing up as members of the new initiative. This reaffirms that health not only transcends borders, it also transcends politics.
Hosted by the Dutch Global Health Alliance (DGHA) and the SRHR platform last week, the multi party initiative aims to maintain the Netherlands’ leadership role on global health and SRHR by bringing parliamentarians from a broad range of political parties together to stand up for these issues. In total, parliamentarians from eight political parties signed up to the initiative, including Roelien Kamminga (VVD), Sarah Dobbe (SP), Femke Zeedijk (NSC), Danielle Hirsch (GL/PvdA), Marieke Koekkoek (Volt), Derk Boswijk (CDA), Wieke Paulusma (D66) and Ines Kostic (PvdD).
Co-chairs of the multiparty initiative – Roelien Kamminga (VVD) and Sarah Dobbe (SP): “We have to share our knowledge and try to support women who were not born here and have bigger challenges. We have good hope that we have sent a signal to this government that these are important topics and that we have to keep putting them on the agenda.” Sarah added: “All over the world people are pushing back on women’s rights. They’re pushing back on sexual freedom and on SRHR. It is so inspiring here today, because I think it is very important that we share these experiences with each other and develop strategies to cope with them.”
Impact of Dutch funding of sexual and reproductive health and rights
During the launch of the initiative, Elizabeth Sully of the Guttmacher Institute shared the main findings from the Guttmacher Institute’s newly released report ‘Just the Numbers’: “The Dutch government has proven itself through these investments to be a true champion of SRHR globally, but any cuts to ODA [official development assistance] risk tarnishing this reputation if SRHR funding is at stake”.
Reflecting on the Guttmacher report, Mukami Marete (UHAI) and Jelle Postma (Justice for Prosperity) discussed the challenges SRHR movements are facing, highlighting the push from anti-gender and anti-rights movements. Mukami said: “There has been a consistent push from anti-gender and anti-right movements, who are very well coordinated and very well strategized. Over the years, the LGBTQ movements and sex workers movements have been organising. And achievements have happened. All the investments that have been made in these communities are at risk of going down the drain, and therefore it is critical that we have this conversation, in particular on what the Dutch government can do.”
Vania Kibui (Amref Health Africa) concluded the event with a powerful message: “For a lot of us as in the Global South, we don’t become advocates because there is nothing better to do, but because staying silent means letting injustice win. And for you all, as you have deliberations when you leave this room, about what to invest in, I would like you to remember that you’re investing in advocates like myself, who are actually working in their communities and with their governments to strengthen the systems so everybody can live in a safe and healthy environment and they have the capacity to live the best version of their lives.”
