Gender

Medical Services Pacific is a rights based gender focused agency established to empower women and youth in the Pacific. The national program design links health objectives with broader economic and environment goals because women are most disproportionally effected by economic crisis, environmental crisis (e.g. climate change) and disaster.  Women in the Pacific carry the burden of political and economic instability in their roles as providers. They are directly impacted by the resulting tensions and violence arising out of local, regional and national leadership struggles. Across  Melanesia, women suffer directly from lack of information, resources, equality and lack of access to decision making that impacts their futures. Therefore, MSP programs mainstream gender across all activities and prioritize the empowerment of women and youth.

MSP is committed to rights based and voluntary family planning and works to ensure Pacific women and adolescents have access to quality and professional health services, particularly reproductive health and maternal and child health services. MSP endorses universal access to reproductive health care, recognizing that access to reproductive health care is key to strengthening women’s capacity as providers, and leaders and agents of change in the Pacific.

MSP promotes a holistic approach to sexual and reproductive health and rights and is in line with the principles agreed at the International Conference of Population and Development (ICPD) and ICPD+15 Programme of Action, as well as the UN Resolution on Women, Peace and Security. As this is directly aligned with the Pacific Policy Framework for Achieving Universal Access to Reproductive Health Care, which was endorsed by the Ministers of Health in 15 Pacific Island Countries in November 2008.

MSP endorses international human rights conventions and embraces the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). MSP supports the UNGASS Declaration of Commitment to Fight HIV and AIDS.

MSP seeks to support the attainment of MGD Goals  1,3,4,5 ,6,7 and 8.

• Goal 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
• Goal 3: Promote gender equality and empower women
• Goal 4: Reduce Child Mortality Rate
• Goal 5: Improve maternal health
• Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases
• Goal 7: Ensure environmental sustainability
• Goal 8: Develop a global partnership for development

MSP is a ‘pro-choice’ family planning provider which upholds the rights of women to decide when and how to plan their family and works in partnership with government and key stakeholders to improve services for vulnerable women and girls. MSP is a key provider of medical and social services for survivors of sexual assault.  The MSP program provides an integrated program response designed to support women and those impacted by gender violence, neglect or abuse.  MSP seeks to increase information and services for women and girls and boys to reduce and end sexual violence, specifically to:

• Increase women’s access to justice
• Provide support services
• Prevent Violence