AmplifyChange – what a great way to express what the new civil society advocacy fund for sexual and reproductive health and rights, is all about.

As a member of the High Level Task Force for ICPD, but also as a woman and a mother of four healthy and wonderful children, I am reassured and thrilled to be here for the launch of AmplifyChange. And I would like to take a moment to share with you why the establishment of this fund is so very important.

Earlier today we marked the Twentieth anniversary of the International Conference on Population and Development. A historic moment, as we are able to celebrate that:

- fewer women die as a result of pregnancy;

- more women have access to sexual and reproductive health services;

- and the number of women and girls who are able to make their own decisions and take control over their own bodies, have increased.

The ICPD was a landmark. It determined that women and men – regardless of age, sex, race, ethnicity, religion, marital status, occupation, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity – have the right to make their own informed and responsible choices with respect to their sexual and reproductive health.

Regrettably, despite much progress there remains a long way to go to make the ICPD vision a reality.

Gender inequality continues to persist and remain an immense barrier, preventing women and girls from claiming their rights and the opportunity of living their lives to their full potential.

Well over a quarter of a million women die every year from complications linked to pregnancy and child birth. Unsafe abortion remains a serious danger to women’s physical and mental health and places their lives in danger.

Violence against women, particularly in the form of sexual violence, has a devastating impact on the sexuality, dignity, psychological well-being, autonomy and reproductive health of women and girls.

Harmful practices such as female genital cutting and early and forced marriage damage the health of millions of women and girls and present a lifelong risk to their well-being and ability to realise their full potential.

The challenges can seem almost impossible to overcome. And that is exactly why we need as many allies as possible in the fight to uphold the promises of the Cairo Agenda and to ensure that sexual and reproductive health and rights has its rightful place on the global agenda.

But  we need to strengthen – to AMPLIFY – voices around the world advocating for sexual and reproductive health and rights:

- the right of women to decide freely if or when to have children, how many to have, and with whom;

- the right of young people to receive comprehensive sexuality education and to have access to youth friendly services;

- and the right of women and young girls to live a life without fear and free from violence.

I am proud to be part of the launch of “AmplifyChange” today.

AmplifyChange will have as its key objective to amplify voices for SRHR and thereby amplify change.

Civil society – not least the civil society of the South – has a profoundly important role in bringing about real transformation, in shaping opinion, in making the case, in bringing the evidence to bear, and yes, occasionally, doing ‘what is necessary’ to make policy makers sit up, listen and act.

The empowerment of women and girls is absolutely key to breaking the cycle of discrimination and violence and for the promotion and protection of human rights, including sexual and reproductive health.

I would like to extend my warmest congratulations and my best wishes to the Fund, with the hope that it will indeed succeed in bringing about the much needed change to ensure sexual and reproductive health and rights are a reality for all, no matter who you are or where you live.

Thank you for your attention