Leaving no One Behind: Displaced Persons and Sustainable Development Goal Indicators on Sexual and Reproductive Health

Abstract

This paper critically reviews evidence on the sexual and reproductive health (SRH) of people displaced due to conflict and violence, addressing the question, “How visible are displaced persons in sustainable development goal (SDG) indicators on SRH?” Gaps in monitoring processes are not just statistical limitations; indicators are modes of power, and who and what gets measured counts. The data corpus comprises national surveys recommended as data sources for SDG indicators 3.7.1 (contraceptive demand satisfied by modern methods) and 5.6.1 (SRH decision making), conducted in Asia since 2015. The review identifies 31 national surveys collecting data on these indicators, of which six include some form of displacement screening. The quality of displacement questions is mixed, but overall, does not meet recommendations by the Expert Group on Refugee, IDP and Statelessness Statistics. Estimates of SDG indicators 3.7.1 and 5.6.1 are presented for displaced vs. national host populations, but comparability is limited by measurement and representation issues. Certain groups are made invisible, including younger adolescents, older and unmarried women and the heterogeneity of displaced people is blurred.