Organon and UNFPA advance reproductive health services – Vietnam Investment Review – VIR

Strategic Partnership to Advance Reproductive Health and Sustainable Development Goals in Vietnam

Introduction

On November 17, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and Organon Vietnam formalized a strategic partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). This collaboration is designed to expand access to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) information and services for women and adolescents throughout Vietnam. The initiative directly supports the achievement of several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those related to health, gender equality, and education.

Demographic Context and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Vietnam’s demographic landscape, with a population exceeding 101 million, includes a significant youth cohort of over 20 million individuals aged 10-24. While this presents a demographic advantage, persistent inequities in reproductive health pose significant challenges to sustainable development. The partnership addresses critical gaps that impede progress on the SDGs.

• High Adolescent Fertility: The adolescent fertility rate stands at 34 births per 1,000 girls aged 15-19, escalating to 115 per 1,000 among ethnic minority populations. This directly impacts SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and SDG 5 (Gender Equality) by limiting educational and economic opportunities for young women.
• Unmet Need for Family Planning: While modern contraceptive use is 48%, a significant unmet need persists: 10% among married women, 17% among ethnic minorities, and 41% among young, unmarried women. This highlights a critical barrier to achieving SDG 3.7, which calls for universal access to sexual and reproductive healthcare services.
• Limited Decision-Making Autonomy: Only 18% of adolescent girls report the ability to make independent decisions regarding contraception. This statistic underscores a fundamental challenge to achieving SDG 5 (Gender Equality) and its target on ensuring universal access to reproductive rights (SDG 5.6).
• Systemic Inequalities: The disparities between the general population and underserved groups, including ethnic minorities, point to the urgent need to advance SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities).

Strategic Objectives of the Partnership

The collaboration between UNFPA and Organon Vietnam is structured around three strategic pillars designed to address systemic barriers and accelerate progress towards the 2030 Agenda.

1. Data Generation for Evidence-Based Policy: The partnership will generate critical data and insights to inform national policies, ensuring that strategies for health and gender equality are effective and targeted, in line with the principles of the SDGs.
2. Strengthening Systems and Capacity: A key focus is to enhance healthcare systems and build capacity, particularly in underserved communities. This objective directly supports SDG 3 by improving service delivery and SDG 10 by ensuring equitable access for all.
3. Public Education and Innovation: The initiative will drive public education campaigns to raise awareness and close knowledge gaps among adolescents and women. This contributes to SDG 4 (Quality Education) by providing essential health information and empowers individuals to make informed choices, a cornerstone of SDG 5.

Leadership Commitment to Global Goals

Leadership from both organizations emphasized the partnership’s alignment with global development frameworks.

Vo Thi Thuy Ha, General Director of Organon Vietnam

Ms. Ha stated that access to accurate information is fundamental to health equity. The commitment is to ensure every Vietnamese woman can make informed choices, which is essential for the well-being of women, families, and communities. This vision directly supports the interconnected nature of SDG 3 and SDG 5, where women’s health is a prerequisite for broader societal prosperity.

Matt Jackson, UNFPA Representative in Vietnam

Mr. Jackson reiterated UNFPA’s commitment to achieving its three transformative goals by 2030, which are integral to the SDG framework:

• Ending the unmet need for family planning (SDG 3.7, SDG 5.6).
• Ending preventable maternal deaths (SDG 3.1).
• Ending gender-based violence and harmful practices (SDG 5.2, SDG 5.3).

He stressed that equipping youth with information and access to stigma-free services is essential for creating a future where all individuals can achieve their full potential.

Conclusion and Forward Outlook

The signing ceremony was attended by representatives from the Vietnam Population Authority, the National Statistics Office, and UN Women, highlighting a multi-stakeholder approach consistent with SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). The MoU is effective immediately, with both parties committed to ongoing evaluation to ensure the joint initiatives deliver a lasting and measurable impact on Vietnam’s progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
   • The entire article focuses on a partnership to enhance “sexual and reproductive health services for women and adolescents across Vietnam.” This directly aligns with SDG 3, which aims to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. The initiative’s goals, such as reducing adolescent pregnancy and increasing access to family planning, are central to this SDG.
2. SDG 5: Gender Equality
   • The article highlights significant gender-based disparities, noting that “only 18 per cent of adolescent girls report being able to make independent decisions about contraception.” The partnership aims to empower women and girls by providing them with the “knowledge and confidence to make informed choices about their sexual and reproductive health.” The UNFPA representative also mentions the goal of ending “gender-based violence and harmful practices,” which is a core component of SDG 5.
3. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
   • The article is fundamentally about a cross-sector collaboration. It details a strategic partnership between the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), a UN agency, and Organon Vietnam, a private pharmaceutical company. The event was also witnessed by government bodies like the Vietnam Population Authority, demonstrating a public-private-civil society partnership model to achieve common goals, which is the essence of SDG 17.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 3.7: By 2030, ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, including for family planning, information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programmes.
   • The partnership’s primary objective is to “expand access to accurate, timely, and youth-friendly reproductive health information” and “increase access to family planning.” This directly supports the goal of universal access to sexual and reproductive health services and information.
2. Target 5.6: Ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights.
   • The initiative aims to address the high unmet need for contraception and the low percentage of adolescent girls able to make independent decisions about it. By focusing on “decision-making autonomy” and ensuring women can make “informed choices,” the partnership works towards fulfilling reproductive rights as outlined in this target.
3. Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships.
   • The agreement between UNFPA and Organon Vietnam, witnessed by government and UN entities, is a clear example of the multi-stakeholder partnership that this target aims to promote for achieving sustainable development.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Adolescent Birth Rate (Indicator 3.7.2):
   • The article explicitly states that “adolescent fertility remains high at 34 births per 1,000 girls aged 15-19 (2023).” This figure is a direct measurement of the official SDG indicator and serves as a baseline to measure the success of initiatives aimed at reducing adolescent pregnancy.
2. Proportion of women with satisfied need for family planning (Indicator 3.7.1):
   • The article provides data on “modern contraceptive use stands at 48 per cent among women of reproductive age” and notes that “unmet needs remain significant- 10 per cent nationally among married women… and up to 41 per cent among younger, unmarried women.” These statistics are used to measure the need for and access to family planning.
3. Proportion of women who make their own informed decisions on reproductive health (Indicator 5.6.1):
   • The statement that “only 18 per cent of adolescent girls report being able to make independent decisions about contraception” is a direct indicator of women’s autonomy over their reproductive health. The partnership’s goal to increase this percentage aligns perfectly with measuring progress for this indicator.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: vir.com.vn