Reproductive health and health sector reform in developing countries: establishing a framework for dialogue

This bulletin, produced by the World Health Organisation (WHO), examines factors that limit dialogue on policy-making between the areas of reproductive health and reform of the health sector in developing countries. It proposes a framework for enhancing dialogue and collaboration between the two fields. The constraints on dialogue arise from basic differences between disciplines. They also arise from the differential involvement and acceptance of groups at the level of policy influence, differences in global and national policy-making contexts, and weak institutional frameworks that impede dialogue and linkage.

The framework suggested consists of the following sequence of steps: (1) identification of policy groups and development of collaborative links between them, (2) introduction of a common understanding around relevant policy contexts, (3) agreement on a common purpose, (4) identification of causal links between policy content in reproductive health and health sector change as a basis for evidence-based policy-making. The authors conclude that the development of constructive dialogue and mutual understanding through a framework of the kind suggested in this bulletin is a critical step towards the enhancement of reproductive health status and the integration of the reproductive health approach into health systems.