Sexual and reproductive health of migrants: Does the EU care?

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• 作者：Ines Keygnaert ; Aurore Guieu ; Gorik Ooms ; Nicole Vettenburg ; Marleen Temmerman ; Kristien Roelens
• 关键词：Migrants ; Sexual health ; Inequity ; Human rights ; European Union ; Policy development ; Migration
• 刊名：Health Policy
• 出版年：February, 2014
• 年：2014
• 卷：114
• 期：2-3
• 页码：215-225
• 全文大小：1093 K

文摘

The European Union (EU) refers to health as a human right in many internal and external communications, policies and agreements, defending its universality. In parallel, specific health needs of migrants originating from outside the EU have been acknowledged. Yet, their right to health and in particular sexual and reproductive health (SRH) is currently not ensured throughout the EU. This paper reflects on the results of a comprehensive literature review on migrants鈥?SRH in the EU applying the Critical Interpretive Synthesis review method.

We highlight the discrepancy between a proclaimed rights-based approach to health and actual obstacles to migrants鈥?attainment of good SRH. Uncertainties on entitlements of diverse migrant groups are fuelled by unclear legal provisions, creating significant barriers to access health systems in general and SRH services in particular. Furthermore, the rare strategies addressing migrants鈥?health fail to address sexual health and are generally limited to perinatal care and HIV screening. Thus, future European public health policy-making should not only strongly encourage its Member States to ensure equal access to health care for migrants as for EU citizens, but also promote migrants鈥?SRH effectively through a holistic and inclusive approach in SRH policies, prevention and care.