Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) Director General’s has emphasized that “All countries must strike a fine balance between protecting health, minimizing economic and social disruption, and respecting human rights”.

When health systems are overwhelmed, countries need to make difficult decisions to balance the demands of responding directly to COVID-19, while simultaneously engaging in strategic planning and coordinated action to maintain essential health service delivery. The provision of many services will become more challenging. Women’s choices and rights to sexual and reproductive health care, however, should be respected regardless of COVID-19 status.

To guide national health systems in planning for the strategic shifts needed to sustain sexual and reproductive health services while also responding to the additional demands of the COVID-19 pandemic, WHO has published COVID-19 specific resources that complement and supplement existing resources in this field. For the latest information on COVID-19 and sexual and reproductive health and rights follow us on Twitter @HRPresearch and @WHO.