Nineteenth Meeting, Kathmandu 2019

End of the decade

The end of a decade brings with it a reminder to take stock and to look to the road ahead. Since ambitious objectives were set in 2012, the RH community has focused on commitments and activities leading up to 2020. We are nearly there, and it’s time to plan for the next 10 years.

Change is the new certainty. With dramatic developments in donor engagement, increased private sector involvement, a shifting method mix, and innovations in every area from procurement to last mile delivery, the post-2020 RH ecosystem will not be business as usual. The environment is evolving, and we must adapt.

Nepal is a fitting setting from which to look to our future. Our host country has seen a steady year-on-year increase in its contraceptive prevalence rate, has committed to FP2020, and has put in place national legislation around improving women’s health. It is also grappling with some of the same challenges seen in other countries including how to improve equitable access to high-quality RH supplies in a newly federalized structure.