The Population Council convenes experts to discuss critical challenges and opportunities to improve sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) outcomes in urban settings, measurement and data issues, the latest research and current gaps to help define a comprehensive research agenda moving forward.

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SRHR are a critical component of ensuring that all people, particularly women and girls, lead healthy and productive lives. Significant inequities in key SRHR outcomes are observed across many demographic and social indicators, including urban residence.

The world is rapidly urbanizing, with the Global South estimated to contain three-quarters of the world’s urban inhabitants by 2050, making this setting critically important for SRHR research and innovation. Urban environments and populations are extremely diverse with regard to their socio-demographic makeup, economic status, infrastructure, access to services, social norms, and preferences.

While a growing body of research highlights this variation in SRHR outcomes within and acrossm cities, the focus has been on individual level characteristics which fails to capture a comprehensive
picture of urban populations and their SRHR risks and needs. Generally, the health of urban dwellers is considered much better than that of their rural counterparts, with better life expectancy, access to health services, and infrastructure such as clean water. However, while cities offer major opportunities to improve health outcomes, these are not equitably distributed or available. Cities are often segregated, with some areas or demographic subgroups experiencing much worse health outcomes.
Understanding the diversity of experiences and needs of marginalized individuals and households within urban settings is critical but often challenging due to a lack of disaggregated data, challenges
reaching vulnerable groups (such as street children, refugees, the disabled), and economic, social and gender inequity fueling wider disparities.

This panel will provide up-to-date evidence and discussion regarding urban SRHR and measurement gaps. Panelists will identify relevant evidence-based programmatic and policy efforts in urban
contexts, and what we can learn from them. The discussion will outline gaps, opportunities, and recommendations for sector-wide collaboration moving forward.

• Present current research from the Council and our panelists regarding the SRHR needs and experiences of urban dwellers, accounting for the heterogeneity of urban populations.
• Identify data gaps and needs to better understand these issues, including how to disaggregate urban populations by key risk factors.
• Understand what features of the urban context contribute to better or worse SRHR outcomes, and how this can be leveraged for evidence-based programmatic and/or policy interventions,
and the implications for urban constituents and policymakers.

This virtual webinar will be held on September 21 from 10am to 11 am EST. Panelists will give a brief presentation of their work, followed by a moderated Q&A and then an open Q&A with the
audience.The Population Council will summarize the meeting in a brief report and/or blog including key findings and recommendations. With the permission of participants, the recorded webinar will be
posted on the Council’s YouTube page.