In addition to providing a list of essential reproductive health supplies, this guidebook outlines the steps necessary for including reproductive health medicines on country-level lists of essential medicines. It also highlights the consequences of poor reproductive health and the importance of devoting resources to its betterment and reviews the concept of essential medicines lists and their significance.

This report documents experiences and lessons related to training and scaling-up the midwifery workforce. These lessons were shared at the First International Forum on Midwifery in the Community (Tunisia, 2006).

Although the international community has pledged to address mental health problems related to sexual and reproductive health, too many women and men still suffer their deleterious effects. For example, 20-30% or more women experience depression during pregnancy or after childbirth in developing countries. Mental health should be addressed routinely as part of sexual and reproductive health services.

This guidance note is designed for countries seeking to scale up midwifery services, especially at the community level. It is part of a UNFPA-ICM (International Confederation of Midwives) Joint Initiative to support the call for a Decade of Action for Human Resources for Health made at World Health Assembly in 2006.

This note outlines in detail the action required by policy-makers and programme managers to effect change at country level and scale up midwifery capacity, specifically in poor and hard-to-reach areas.