1. Introduction

Natural disasters, armed conflict, disease outbreak, displacement and political unrest increase the vulnerability of women and girls and create barriers to accessing sexual and reproductive health including maternal health services. Sixty percent of preventable maternal deaths take place in settings of conflict, displacement, and natural disasters. Even in crisis, people continue to have sex and bear children, which increases their risk of sexually transmitted infection, pregnancy, and pregnancy-related complications that can lead to illness and death for mother and child. The breakdown in social norms and protective structures increases girls and women’s exposure to gender-based violence and its consequences. When facing an unwanted pregnancy, it is not uncommon for women to perform self-induced, unsafe abortions, which may result in complications and death when access to post-abortion care is unavailable. Consequently, access to sexual and reproductive health services — including family planning, emergency obstetric and neonatal care, and gender-based violence services — is necessary for saving lives in these difficult contexts.