Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction- HRP
The Human Reproduction Program -
Creation of the Human Reproduction Unit
Since the first United Nations
As the Second World Population Conference was meeting in Belgrade in 1965, the WHO was wondering how it could contribute.[4] For the Director-General, as he said in a report demanded by the WHO Executive Council, "the importance of many medical, biological, social, cultural and economic factors in human reproduction makes it a major public health problem",[3] which justified the decision to work on the demographic question, especially via the subject of human reproduction. The report was approved by the World Health Assembly, and it was decided to study sterility, the regulation of fertility, and the health aspect of demography.[5] This mark the beginning of the Human Reproduction Unit. Its mission was to give technical advice on human reproduction aspects that were involved in public health.
Development of the Unit and creation of a global program of research
The Human Reproduction Unit continued its mission and expanded its research not to only take into account strictly the medical aspect of human reproduction, but also economic, sociological, cultural, and psychological factors. The Unit was organizing meetings of experts and began to create a centre of documentation on human reproduction. In 1970, the WHO designated the Reproductive Endocrinology Research Unit of the Karolinska Institute of Stockholm as research and training centre on human reproduction.[6]
Pleased by the progress made, the World Health Assembly requested the Director-General to consider a way to develop family planning services.[7] In 1970, the WHO launched a feasibility study about a global program of research on human reproduction. A report was thus presented in 1971 and advocated for a five ways action plan.[8] First, the designation of four Research and Training Centres, which would have to be leaders on the research on human reproduction in their respective region. Second, the collaboration with Clinical Research Centres to facilitate the clinical evaluation of new fertility regulating agents. Third, the creation of task Forces to conduct the research projects. Fourth, the creation of an international documentation centre on biomedical aspects of human reproduction (this point was not executed due to limited funding at the time). The fifth point was about secondary objectives and miscellaneous recommendations. The Human Reproduction Unit was charged with the creation and administration of the new "Expanded Programme of Research, Development, and Research Training in Human Reproduction".[citation needed]
Expanded Programme of Research, Development, and Research Training in Human Reproduction
The Expanded Programme was directed by an Advisory Group of 12 to 15 people designated by the Director-general. Their role was to advise the WHO on the policies, the strategies, the research priorities, and the resource affectation.[9] The technical details of the scientific projects, the control of the publications and works of the Task Forces were delegated to a Review Group, which also designated the Clinical Research Centres.In 1977, the Expanded Programme became the Special Programme.[citation needed]
Evolution to a Co-sponsored Special Programme
In 1986, the structure of the Programme changed.
In 1988, the co-sponsorship of the Programme began:
Finally, in 1996, the Gender Advisory Panel was created in order to keep particular attention to issues linked to gender inequities, mutilations and violence based on sex and rights based on sexual practice and orientation.[12] It became the Gender and Rights Advisory Panel in 2007.In 1998, UNICEF joined the co-sponsors.
The HRP was still part of the Human Reproduction Unit, but other WHO organs were working on demography-linked subjects. Thus, in 1998, to avoid duplicate efforts, the unit merged with the Reproductive Health Division into the Department of Reproductive Health and Research (RHR).
References
- ^ "sexual and reproductive health and research-SHR". Retrieved 9 March 2023.
- ^ "Population growth and economic development". United Nations. March 9, 1963.
- ^ hdl:10665/136768.
- hdl:10665/88958.
- hdl:10665/89329.
- ISBN 92-4-160188-4.
- hdl:10665/91257.
- hdl:10665/361192.
- hdl:10665/361193.
- hdl:10665/120636.
- ^ hdl:10665/162389.
- PMID 31746277.
- S2CID 205966657.
- hdl:10665/333620.