Without essential commodities – from contraceptives to testing kits to equipment for emergency obstetric care – the right to reproductive health cannot be fully exercised. In many places, condoms are urgently needed to prevent the further spread of the deadly HIV virus.

The mandate of UNFPA in this area is to provide the right quantities of the right products in the right condition in the right place at the right time for the right price. This complex logistical process involves many actors, including the public and private sectors. UNFPA takes a lead role in reproductive health commodity security, coordinating the process, forecasting needs, mobilizing support and building logistical capacity at the country level.