African Women's Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights: The Revised Maputo Plan of Action pushes for Upscaled Delivery

Historically premised on the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) Programme of Action of 1994, the revised African Union (AU) Maputo Platform of Action (MPoA) 2016-2030 is a robust policy commitment by African leaders that aims to guarantee women's universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights. The MPoA 2016-2030 as a plan of action addresses women's sexual and reproductive health outcomes throughout the entire life cycle to address the poor sexual and reproductive health outcomes on the continent. Importantly, the MPoA 2016-2030 also aligns itself with the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the AU Agenda 2063, both of which have situated women's health as a priority within the development agenda. AIDS Accountability International conducted a desktop review comparing the MPoA 2007-2015 to the MPoA 2016-2030. The briefing reports on the findings of the policy review through a comparison of key themes/action strategies in the respective policies and an analysis of the identified weaknesses and gains. Improvement was found on the original MPoA with reference to access to safe abortion, reduction of child marriages as well as adolescent and youth health. The revised MPoA maintained the original stance on the ending of female genital mutilation and on the promotion of gender equality, neither gaining nor losing ground on these issues. However, the review also identifies losses on the assurance of human rights generally and specifically in the omission of any mention of sexual rights for sexual minorities, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) persons. Inspite of the weaknesses identified in the policy review, the revised MPoA 2016-2030 is expected to facilitate overall improvements in the general health of African women and girls and improve their access to sexual and reproductive health and rights. African sexual and reproductive health and rights activists should become more familiar with the homegrown African MPoA commitment and hold leaders accountable to this forward-thinking commitment, and not limit themselves to global commitments.