Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Hansard source

I can advise that the government believes that universal access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care is central to global efforts to improve health, accelerate development and strengthen equal opportunity for men and women. These services are vital to enabling women and girls to stay healthy, to remain in education and to participate equally in society and the economy. I would note that we support, through the aid program, the same range of reproductive health services in developing countries as are available in Australia, subject to the laws of those countries. That includes sexual and reproductive health services; education; family planning; maternal health services; the prevention and treatment of STIs and HIV; and termination, where legal. This range of activities is consistent with the Family Planning and the Aid Program: Guiding Principles document which, you would be aware, was released in 2009. The SPRINT program—the sexual and reproductive health services in crisis and post-crisis situations phase 3 program—has been funded by Australian governments for over a decade. (Time expired)