Planning reproductive health in conflict: a conceptual framework

A conceptual framework for planning reproductive health services for refuge es is presented for use by those involved in planning field activities. Sec ondary sources of data are recommended to describe pre-existing patterns an d trends in reproductive health status and likely determinants of any chang e in status, for populations which have been subsequently affected by confl ict. The interaction between these patterns and the conflict itself is then analyzed, taking into account the shift in health status and service avail ability as the conflict progresses through various recognized phases. The p otential impact of conflict is thus hypothesized in order to make initial p lans for incorporating reproductive health services into standard relief pa ckages. Two case studies are presented: Rwanda demonstrates the use of the framework in a relatively short but dramatic conflict, for which there was also substantial prior evidence on reproductive health status; Cambodia is used, in contrast, to demonstrate the use of the framework in a much more c omplex conflict which has been occurring over the last 20 years. (C) 1999 E lsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.