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Send to friendThis is a glossary of key terms used on our website and in our publications.
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Abortifacient
A substance that causes pregnancy to end prematurely and causes an abortion.
Abortion
An abortion can occur either spontaneously, when it is called a spontaneous abortion or miscarriage, or it can be brought about by deliberate intervention, when it is called an induced abortion. The stage at which a fetus is considered viable varies according to different legislations and recommendations.
Abortion rate
The number of abortions taking place among women of reproductive age (usually 15-49), over a given period, usually a year, expressed per 1,000 women.
Abortion Ratio
The number of abortions to the number of live births over a given period, described per 100 live births in a given year.
Abstinence
Abstinence is a conscious decision to avoid certain activities or behaviors. Different people have different definitions of sexual abstinence. For some, it may mean no sexual contact. For others, it may mean no penetration (oral, anal, vaginal) or only 'lower-risk' behaviors.
Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
The late stage of infection caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). HIV steadily weakens the body's defense (immune) system until it can no longer fight off life-threatening illnesses. These include infections such as pneumonia and certain cancers.
Adolescence
The World Health Organization uses the 10-19 year age range to define adolescence.
Advocacy
A campaign or strategy to build support for a cause or issue. Advocacy is directed towards creating a favorable environment, by trying to gain people's support and by trying to influence or change legislation.
AIDS
Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. The late stage of infection caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). HIV steadily weakens the body's defense (immune) system until it can no longer fight off life-threatening illnesses. These include infections such as pneumonia and certain cancers.
Antiretroviral Therapy (ART)
Antiretroviral therapy is the course of medications or drugs you take to fight HIV. Other terms that mean the same thing are 'anti-retroviral drugs', 'HIV treatment', 'medications', 'drug regimen' and 'HIV drugs'. (See ARVs)
Anti-Retrovirals (ARVs)
Antiretrovirals/Antiretroviral therapy is the course of medications or drugs you take to fight HIV. Other terms that mean the same thing are HAART (Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy), 'anti-retroviral drugs', 'HIV treatment', 'medications', 'drug regimen' and 'HIV drugs'.
Barrier Methods
Barrier methods of contraception prevent pregnancy by physically or chemically blocking the entrance of sperm into the uterine cavity. Some, particularly condoms, help to protect against sexually transmitted infections, including HIV infection. Barrier methods include cervical caps, condoms, diaphragms, female condoms, spermicides and sponges.
Birth Control
The term used in the early days of modern family planning. It refers to all methods of preventing births, including abstinence and abortion.
Birth Rate
The number of live births per 1,000 population in a given year. (See Crude Birth Rate).
Births Averted
A measure of the number of births which have not occurred because of the effects of a family planning program. It involves a number of assumptions about several aspects of the reproductive process and is not a precise figure.
Child Mortality Rate
The number of deaths of children aged 1-4 years per 1,000 children in that age group over a period of a year. This measure excludes deaths of infants (i.e. children aged less than one year) so an alternative indicator, the under-five mortality rate, is sometimes used which includes infant deaths.
Childbearing Years
Also referred to as Reproductive Age. The span of ages at which individuals are capable of becoming parents. The phrase can be applied to men and women but most frequently refers to women. 'Couples in reproductive ages' nearly always means couples where the woman is of childbearing age. The age range 15-49 years is most often taken, but occasionally 15-44 is used, including in the United States.
Client Profile
A representation in numbers and/or percentages of the main characteristics of a program's clients. A client profile allows managers to gain a better understanding of the types of clients the program serves and, in some cases, the high-priority needs of those clients, so that the program can better serve its clients and potentially attract new clients who have similar needs.
Client Satisfaction
The benefits or the value of the services (as perceived by the clients) provided by a program or clinic, often measured in terms of the quality of interaction with providers, the range of contraceptive choice, and the efficiency and responsiveness to individual client needs.
Community-Based Distribution (CBD)
An approach to delivering family planning and sexual and reproductive health services which does not require a clinic setting. Individuals who live in and are members of the community are trained to provide health education, advice and supplies, and to make referrals. A CBD worker educates people in their own community, motivates them, distributes contraceptives, refers clients to health facilities, and possibly provides other sexual and reproductive health services.
Community-Based Services
Sexual and reproductive health information and services provided to women, men and young people where they live using specially trained members of the community (community-based volunteers), who provide selected contraceptive methods, sexual and reproductive health information and refer clients to clinics when appropriate.
Comprehensive Sexuality Education
Education about all matters relating to sexuality and its expression. Comprehensive sexuality education covers the same topics as sex education but also includes issues such as relationships, attitudes towards sexuality, sexual roles, gender relations and the social pressures to be sexually active, and it provides information about sexual and reproductive health services. It may also include training in communication and decision-making skills.
Contraceptive Effectiveness
The extent to which a contraceptive method reduces the chance of conception.
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate
The percentage of all women of reproductive age or married women of reproductive age, typically aged 15-49, who are using a method of contraception.
Crude Birth Rate (CBR)
The number of live births per 1,000 population in a given year. (See Birth Rate).
Drug Resistance
The ability of some disease-causing micro-organisms, such as bacteria, viruses, and mycoplasma, to adapt themselves, to grow, and to multiply even in the presence of drugs that usually kill them.
Emergency Contraception (EC)
A method of contraception used to avoid pregnancy after a single act of sexual intercourse that was unprotected due to lack of use or failure of a contraceptive. Two types are available:
*
Hormonal treatment with high-dose oestrogen, a low-dose oestrogen-progestagen combination or progestagen alone. Emergency Contraception Pills (ECPs) should be taken as soon as possible after unprotected sex.
*
The insertion of an intra-uterine device, which has to be carried out within five days of unprotected sex. Emergency contraception pills (ECPs) are thought to prevent ovulation, fertilization, and/or implantation. ECPs are not effective once the process of implantation has begun, and will not cause abortion. Recent studies have provided new information concerning the regimen for levonorgestrel-only and Yuzpe ECPs. This research indicates that ECPs can prevent pregnancy up to five days (120 hours) after unprotected intercourse. (See Morning After Pill)
Empowerment
The ability or the process of developing the ability, to achieve one's full potential in society and shape one's life according to one's own aspirations. The process of empowerment involves changing existing power relations and the forces that marginalize women and other disadvantaged sections of society.
Evaluation
The periodic process of determining what the results of a program are – that is, whether the program is achieving its objectives. Monitoring and evaluation findings should be used together to learn about what works and what does not in order to strengthen programs on an ongoing basis.
Family Planning
The conscious effort of couples or individuals to plan for and attain their desired number of children and to regulate the spacing and timing of their births. Family planning is achieved through contraception and through the treatment of involuntary infertility.
Fertility
The actual reproductive performance of an individual, group or society.
Fertility Rates
Measures which relate the number of births in a given period to the number of women of reproductive age (unlike the crude birth rate, which relates births to the whole population). The general fertility rate relates births in a particular period, usually a year, to women aged 15-49 or 15-44 years at that time.
Fertility Regulation
The process by which individuals and couples regulate their fertility. Methods include, among others, delaying childbearing, using contraception, seeking treatment for infertility, interrupting unwanted pregnancies and so on.
Fetus
A fertilized egg implanted in the womb that has grown beyond eight weeks.
Gender Based Violence (GBV)
The United Nations General Assembly in 1993 adopted the definition of violence against women as "any act that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual, or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or private life. It encompasses, but is not limited to: physical, sexual and psychological violence occurring in the family, including battering, sexual abuse of female children in the household, dowry-related violence, marital rape, female genital cutting and other traditional practices harmful to women, non-spousal violence and violence related to exploitation; physical, sexual and psychological violence occurring within the general community, including rape, sexual abuse, sexual harassment and intimidation at work, in educational institutions and elsewhere; trafficking in women and forced prostitution; and physical, sexual and psychological violence perpetrated or condoned by the state, wherever it occurs." (See Violence Against Women).
Gender
Gender refers to the economic, social and cultural attributes and opportunities associated with being male or female in a particular point in time. (World Health Organization definition).
Gender Equality
Measurable equal representation of women and men. Gender equality does not imply that women and men are the same, but that they have equal value and should be accorded equal treatment.
Gender Equity
The application of fairness or justice in all gender issues. This applies both to the composition of power structures and to social divisions of labor.
Gender Mainstreaming
A new term that is similar to gender perspective or gender sensitive focus. It is the reorganization, improvement, development and evaluation of policy processes, so that a gender equality perspective is incorporated in all policies at all levels and at all stages, by those normally involved in policy-making.
Global Gag Rule
Officially termed the Mexico City Policy, these restrictions mandate that no U.S. family planning assistance can be provided to foreign NGOs that use funding from any other source to: perform abortions in cases other than a threat to the woman’s life, rape or incest; provide counseling and referral for abortion; or lobby to make abortion legal or more available in their country. The Global Gag Rule was reinstated by President George W. Bush on his first day in office in January 2001 and is called the "gag" rule because it stifles free speech and public debate on abortion-related issues.
Governance
The actions and effects of the Board of Directors in implementing its role, functions, and responsibilities in order to govern, orient, and guide the life of a not-for-profit organization.
Governing Council
The highest level central governing body that manages the affairs of International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF).
Health Sector Reform
A process that seeks changes in health sector policies, financing, and organization of services, as well as in the role of government, to reach national health objectives. Sector reform is by definition sector-wide in that it affects more than one service, supply, or clinical policy, and more than one provider, institution, or geographic location. Typical goals that countries have for their health sector reform efforts include improvements in access, equity, quality, efficiency and/or sustainability of their health care services.
High-risk Pregnancy
A pregnant woman who is below 18 years of age or more than 34 years; or who has already had three or more live births; or when birth would occur within 24 months of a previous live birth.
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
The virus that causes AIDS. Two types of HIV are currently known: HIV-1 and HIV-2. Worldwide, the predominant virus is HIV-1. Both types of the virus may be transmitted by sexual contact, through blood, and from mother to child (either before or during birth, or through breast feeding), and they appear to cause clinically indistinguishable AIDS. However, HIV-2 is less easily transmitted, and the period between initial infection and illness is longer in the case of HIV-2. While some individuals experience mild HIV-related disease soon after initial infection, nearly all then remain well for years. As the virus gradually damages their immune system, they begin to develop opportunistic infections of increasing severity, including diarrhea, fever, tuberculosis, pneumonia, lymphoma and Kaposi's sarcoma.
Human Rights
Human rights are the rights and freedoms that belong to an individual as a consequence of being human. They refer to a wide spectrum of values that are universal in character and established by custom or international agreement which impose standards of conduct on all nations. States have the obligation to respect, protect and fulfill these rights as they are all indivisible, interdependent and interrelated. To promote and protect sexual and reproductive rights, States must actively take measures to ensure, on an equal basis, a person’s life, health and health care, to be free from discrimination, to have security, liberty, privacy and access to information, to be free from cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, and to decide the number and spacing of children, among others.
International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD)
International Conference on Population and Development. UN conference held in Cairo in 1994. ICPD was noted as the first population conference to move away from setting demographic targets towards emphasizing people's needs for, and rights to, sexual and reproductive health. It also emphasized the importance of women's interests as components of development. ICPD has a deadline of 2015 to achieve the targets set in 1994 - targets that are reviewed at five-yearly intervals.
Information, Education, and Communication (IEC)
A program to ensure that clients or potential clients of sexual and reproductive health services are given the means to make responsible decisions about childbearing and about their sexual and reproductive health. Information involves generating and disseminating general and technical information, facts and issues, in order to create awareness and knowledge. Education, whether formal or non-formal, is a process of facilitated learning to enable those learning to make rational and informed decisions. Communication is a planned process aimed at motivating people to adopt new attitudes or behavior.
Immune Deficiency
A breakdown or inability of certain parts of the immune system to function, thus making a person susceptible to certain diseases that they would not ordinarily develop.
Immune System
The body's complicated natural defense against disruption caused by invading foreign agents (e.g. microbes, viruses).
Immunodeficiency
A breakdown or inability of certain parts of the immune system to function, thus making a person susceptible to certain diseases that they would not ordinarily develop.
Indicator
A measure of a concept, behavior or event which is used to monitor and evaluate programs; the indicator is not necessarily the concept itself, but a reflection of that concept. For example, an abstract concept such as gender equity will require you to find specific, concrete measures that reflect gender equity and can be measured, such as the male-to-female ratio of peer educators or the proportion of IEC materials that use gender-sensitive language.
Informed Choice
Voluntary decision by a client to use, or not to use, a contraceptive method (or accept a sexual and reproductive health service) after receiving adequate information regarding options, risks, advantages and disadvantages of all available methods. The exercise of both the right of access to family planning and the right to make informed and responsible decisions about childbearing requires full knowledge of the benefits, purposes and practice of family planning, access to services and the personal, familial and societal consequences of individual reproductive behaviour.
Informed Consent
A legal condition whereby a person can be said to have given consent based upon an appreciation and understanding of the facts and implications of an action. The individual needs to be in possession of relevant facts and also of her/his reasoning faculties, such as not being mentally retarded or mentally ill and without an impairment of judgment at the time of consenting. Some acts cannot legally take place because of a lack of informed consent. In cases where an individual is considered unable to give informed consent, another person is generally authorized to give consent on their behalf. Examples of this include the parents or legal guardians of a child and caregivers for the mentally ill.
Infant Mortality Rate (IMR)
The number of deaths of infants aged under one year per 1,000 live births in a given period, usually a year. It is a useful indicator of the health status not only of infants, but also of whole populations and of the socio-economic conditions under which they live. In addition, the infant mortality rate is a sensitive indicator of the availability, utilization, and effectiveness of health care, particularly perinatal care.
Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practice Survey (KAPS)
Survey undertaken to establish the current situation with regard to contraceptive use. KAP surveys were started in the 1950s to measure the spread of family planning throughout the world. By showing that there were many women who would like to space or limit their births but who did not know about or have access to family planning services (sometimes called the KAP gap), they provided the first estimates of the unmet need for family planning.
Life expectancy
The average number of additional years a person would live if current mortality conditions were to continue.
Maternal and Child Health Programs (MCHPs)
Programs providing health care aimed at improving the health of mothers and children, including efforts to ensure safe motherhood, eliminate unsafe abortion and help women plan and space their births.
Maternal Death (MD)
When the direct cause of death of a woman is due to pregnancy, usually in the case of a woman who is currently pregnant or who has been pregnant in the last six weeks. Sometimes the last three or 12 weeks is used instead. (See Maternal Mortality Rate). (See Maternal Mortality Ratio).
Maternal Mortality Rate (MMRe)
The number of deaths of women due to pregnancy and childbirth complications per 100,000 women aged 15-45 or 15-49 years. This rate measures a woman's lifetime risk of dying associated with reproduction. (See Maternal Death). (See Maternal Mortality Ratio).
Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMRo)
The number of women who die as a result of pregnancy and childbirth per 100,000 live births. Sometimes 1,000 or 10,000 live births are used instead. (See Maternal Death). (See Maternal Mortality Rate).
Member Association
An affiliate organization of the International Planned Parenthood Federation. Each member is a private autonomous organization that supplies family planning and other related sexual and reproductive health and rights services according to local needs, customs, and laws.
Men-Who-Have-Sex-With Men (MSM)
A term used to classify male persons who engage in sex with other males, regardless of whether they self-identify as gay, bisexual, or heterosexual. The term is intended to reference a particular category of people as a risk-group for HIV.
Microbicide
Microbicides are substances that may be able substantially to reduce transmission of and infection with HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) when applied either in the vagina or rectum. They could therefore be used by both women and men who have sex with men. However, at present, microbicides are still under development and are yet to be shown to be effective against HIV and/or STIs.
Mifepristone
Compounds that block the action of the hormone progesterone. Since progesterone is essential for the maintenance of pregnancy, antiprogestagens were first developed for the medical termination of pregnancy. The first to be widely used was mifepristone, popularly known as RU-486.
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)
The Millennium Development Goals are an ambitious agenda for reducing poverty and improving lives that world leaders agreed on at the Millennium Summit in September 2000. For each goal one or more targets have been set, most for 2015, using 1990 as a benchmark:
1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
2. Achieve universal primary education
3. Promote gender equality and empower women
4. Reduce child mortality
5. Improve maternal health
6. Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
7. Ensure environmental sustainability
8. Develop a global partnership for development
Monitoring
The routine tracking of program activities by measuring on a regular, ongoing basis whether activities are being carried out as planned. Monitoring may also look at the quality of activities, as this is instrumental in understanding why a program does or does not achieve its objectives. Adequate monitoring enables program staff to make adjustments as a program is being carried out, thereby ensuring that objectives are met.
Morbidity
The incidence and /or prevalence of certain diseases or disabilities. It is usually expressed as a rate: the number of cases of disease per 1,000 persons at risk.
Morning-after Pill
Use of the expression ‘morning-after pill’ is misleading. Hormonal treatment and IUDs can be effective up to five days after intercourse. (See Emergency Contraception)
Mother-to-child Transmission (MTCT)
Transmission of HIV from women to their fetus during pregnancy, delivery or their infant during breast-feeding.
Non-Governmental Organization (NGO)
A private institution that is independent of government.
Patient Flow Analysis
Also referred to as Client Flow Analysis. The process of determining the efficiency of service delivery operations in a health facility. It is based on observations made of the movement of clients through the health facility and tracks, in particular, the amount of time a client spends waiting to be seen by a provider and the amount of contact time a client has with each of the clinic's service providers. Also known as patient flow analysis.
Person or People Living With AIDS (PLWA)
Person or People living with HIV/AIDS
Population Projection
The computation of future population size and characteristics based on assumptions about future trends in fertility, mortality and migration.
Population Pyramid
A double bar chart showing the age-sex structure of a population. Horizontal bar graphs for each sex are placed side by side with the youngest age at the bottom. The figure narrows at the top, hence the name pyramid. Fast-growing populations resemble pyramids, as each new birth cohort is larger than the one before, but slow-growing populations have a more even distribution.
Post Abortion Care (PAC)
Postabortion care is an approach for reducing morbidity and mortality from incomplete and unsafe abortion and resulting complications and for improving women's sexual and reproductive health and lives. The PAC Consortium's five essential elements of PAC are:
* Community and service provider partnerships for prevention (of unwanted pregnancies and unsafe abortion), mobilization of resources (to help women receive appropriate and timely care for complications from abortion), and ensuring that health services reflect and meet community expectations and needs;
* Counseling to identify and respond to women's emotional and physical health needs and other concerns;
* Treatment of incomplete and unsafe abortion and complications that are potentially life-threatening;
* Contraceptive and family planning services to help women prevent an unwanted pregnancy or practice birth spacing; and
* Reproductive and other health services that are preferably provided on-site or via referrals to other accessible facilities in providers' networks.
Poverty Reduction Strategy
A country-driven, results-oriented, comprehensive and long-term health strategy for poverty reduction.
Primary Health Care
Package of basic health services provided at the lowest level of a health system.
Quality of care (QOC)
The delivery of services in a way that addresses the rights of clients. It is the understanding that clients have the right to information, access to services, choice, safety, privacy, confidentiality, dignity and comfort when receiving services.
Replacement-level Fertility
The level of fertility at which each woman will, on average, be succeeded by one daughter who survives to have a daughter herself. This will depend on mortality conditions, but in countries where mortality below the age of reproduction is low, it is usually taken to be 2.1 children per woman.
Reproductive Age
The span of ages at which individuals are capable of becoming parents. The phrase can be applied to men and women but most frequently refers to women.
Reproductive Health (RH)
IPPF endorses the definition of reproductive health agreed at the International Conference on Population and Development, which stated: "Reproductive health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity, in all matters relating to the reproductive system and to its functions and processes. Reproductive health therefore implies that people are able to have a satisfying and safe sex life and that they have the capability to reproduce and the freedom to decide if, when and how often to do so. Implicit in this last condition is the right of men and women to be informed and to have access to safe, effective, affordable and acceptable methods of family planning of their choice, as well as other methods of their choice for regulation of fertility.
Reproductive Health and Rights
These rights rest on the recognition of the basic right of all couples and individuals to decide freely and responsibly the number, spacing and timing of their children and to have the information and means to do so, and the right to attain the highest standard of sexual and reproductive health. It also includes their right to make decisions concerning reproduction free of discrimination, coercion and violence, as expressed in human rights documents.
Rights of the Client
Access to sexual and reproductive health services and family planning is a right of all individuals and couples. These rights include the right to information, access, choice, safety, privacy, confidentiality, dignity, comfort, continuity, and opinion when receiving sexual and reproductive health services and supplies. For a full description of clients’ rights, click here
RU-486 (mifepristone)
Antiprogestagens. Compounds that block the action of the hormone progesterone. Since progesterone is essential for the maintenance of pregnancy, antiprogestagens were first developed for the medical termination of pregnancy. The first to be widely used was mifepristone, popularly known as RU-486.
Safe Motherhood
Pregnancy and childbirth with low risk of death or ill health. In order to make motherhood safer, women need regular antenatal advice and care, a good diet during pregnancy, to be attended by trained personnel at delivery, and to have access to treatment for obstetric emergencies. Reducing high rates of maternal mortality and morbidity also depends on reducing the likelihood of women experiencing an unwanted high risk pregnancy, which necessitates the availability of family planning and safe abortion services.
Safer Sex
Any sexual practice that aims to reduce the risk of unwanted pregnancy and of passing HIV (and other sexually transmitted infections) from one person to another. Examples are non-penetrative sex or vaginal intercourse with a condom. During unsafe sex, fluids that can transmit HIV and other STIs (semen, vaginal fluid or blood) may be introduced into the body of the sex partner.
Sexuality
The sexual knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, values, and behaviors of individuals. Its dimensions include the anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry of the sexual response system; identity, orientation, roles and personality; and thoughts, feelings, and relationships. The expression of sexuality is influenced by ethical, spiritual, cultural, and moral concerns.
Sexuality Counseling
Counseling on issues of sexuality with the aim of creating a climate where clients can express themselves and their concerns relating to sexual relationships and intimacy without fear of discrimination. (See Sexuality)
Sex Education
Basic education about reproductive processes, puberty, sexual behavior, etc. Sex education may include other information, for example about contraception, protection from sexually transmitted infections and parenthood.
Sexual Health
IPPF endorses the United Nations definition of sexual health as " the notion of sexual health implies a positive approach to human sexuality and the purpose of sexual health care should be the enhancement of life and personal relations and not merely counseling and care related to reproduction and sexually transmitted diseases."
Sexual Intercourse
Penetrative sexual behaviors, including oral sex, anal sex and penile-vaginal sex.
Sexual Orientation
Sexual orientation refers to the primary sexual attraction to the same, opposite or both sexes.
Sexual and Reproductive Health Services and Rights (SRHRS)
Defined as the constellation of methods, techniques and services that contribute to reproductive health and well-being through preventing and solving reproductive health problems. It also includes sexual health.
Sexual Rights
IPPF endorses the definition of sexual rights agreed at the Fourth World Conference on Women, which stated that: "The human rights of women include their right to have control over and decide freely and responsibly on matters related to their sexuality, including sexual and reproductive health, free of coercion, discrimination and violence. Equal relationships between women and men in matters of sexual relations and reproduction, including full respect for the integrity of the person, require mutual respect, consent and shared responsibility for sexual behavior and its consequences."
Sexually Transmitted Disease
Sexually transmitted infection. Disease resulting from bacteria or viruses and often acquired through sexual contact. Some STIs can also be acquired in other ways (i.e. blood transfusions, intravenous drug use, and mother-to-child transmission). The term 'STI' is slowly replacing 'STD' (sexually transmitted disease) in order to include HIV infection. Most STIs, like HIV, are not acquired from partners who are obviously ill, but rather through exposure to infections that are asymptomatic or unnoticeable at the time of transmission.
Sexually Transmitted Infection
Disease resulting from bacteria or viruses and often acquired through sexual contact. Some STIs can also be acquired in other ways (i.e. blood transfusions, intravenous drug use, mother-to-child transmission). The term 'STI' is slowly replacing 'STD' (sexually transmitted disease) in order to include HIV infection.
Social Marketing
Application of private sector marketing techniques to the sale of products which fulfill a social objective, at a price, such as condoms. Marketing is described as having the right product at an accessible place at an affordable price with appropriate promotion to one or more targeted audiences. In the social marketing of contraceptives, existing commercial and retail outlets are used in order to reach people not adequately served by other means; outlets can include pharmacies, grocery shops, petrol stations, barber shops, etc.
Sustainability
The ability of a member association to improve institutional capacity in order to adopt a realistic and innovative strategy and thus provide quality services to its clients. Sustainability may include expanding client bases and generating income through advocacy and local funding mechanisms, while decreasing dependence on funds derived from external donors.
Targets
The desired outcomes quantified and specified in time towards the attainment of the ultimate strategic objectives.
Under-five Mortality Rate
The number of deaths of children aged 1-4 years per 1,000 children in that age group over a period of a year. This measure excludes deaths of infants (i.e. children aged less than one year) so an alternative indicator, the under-five mortality rate, is sometimes used which is inclusive.
Under-Served Groups
Groups not normally or not well served by established service delivery programs. In family planning, some examples of under-served groups are adolescents, men, the urban poor and those who live in remote areas, and unmarried people.
Unmet Need for Family Planning
Estimates of women who would like to prevent or delay pregnancy but are not using contraception, either because they lack knowledge about family planning or access to services, or because they face cultural, religious and family obstacles.
Unsafe Abortion
An induced abortion conducted either by persons lacking the necessary skills or in an environment lacking the minimal medical and hygienic standards, or both. Although the majority of the world's women live in countries where laws permit an induced abortion if a woman requests one and if there are health or social grounds for allowing it, a quarter of women live in countries where there is no access to legal abortion. Even in countries where abortion is legal, women may not be able to obtain abortions easily for reasons of bureaucracy, availability or accessibility. In these circumstances women with unwanted pregnancies frequently resort to unsafe abortion.
Vaccine
A substance that gives immunity against a specific disease.
Violence Against Women (VAW)
The United Nations General Assembly in 1993 adopted the definition of violence against women as "any act that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual, or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or private life. It encompasses, but is not limited to: physical, sexual and psychological violence occurring in the family, including battering, sexual abuse of female children in the household, dowry-related violence, marital rape, female genital cutting and other traditional practices harmful to women, non-spousal violence and violence related to exploitation; physical, sexual and psychological violence occurring within the general community, including rape, sexual abuse, sexual harassment and intimidation at work, in educational institutions and elsewhere; trafficking in women and forced prostitution; and physical, sexual and psychological violence perpetrated or condoned by the state, wherever it occurs." (See Gender-based violence).
Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT)
VCT is the process by which an individual undergoes counseling enabling him or her to make an informed choice about being tested for HIV. This decision must be entirely the choice of the individual and he or she must be assured that the process will be confidential.
Vital Statistics/Events
Demographic data on births, deaths, and stillbirths. Other events such as adoption, marriage, divorce and migration, although strictly speaking not vital events, are nevertheless often included. The registration of vital events is the basic source of information about a population's dynamics.
Young People
Those who are aged between 10-24 years
Youth
The World Health Organization refers to those in the 15-24 age range as youth.
