Protecting reproductive rights in an era of declining fertility: charting a path for the SRHR community

Efforts to protect and expand sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) are at a critical juncture. In many countries, concerns about declining fertility are increasingly shaping development priorities, raising the risk that demographic and socio-economic anxieties overshadow rights and informed choice. While growing attention to fertility decline does not inherently threaten SRHR, alarmist narratives can reshape public discourse, service and financing priorities, and policy in ways that constrain reproductive autonomy. This is of particular concern in low- and middle-income countries, where fertility trends vary widely, narratives can be applied without context, and evidence to guide rights-based approaches remains scarce. Early interviews and consultations with SRHR stakeholders in four sub-Saharan African countries and with global leaders suggest that concerns about declining fertility are not yet widely reflected in policy reversals, but that such changes may be on the horizon and stakeholders lack the information and tools needed for tailored communication and engagement strategies. Without a proactive, evidence- and rights-based response, SRHR efforts risk losing support at a time when women’s and girls’ needs remain urgent. Advocates, policymakers, and practitioners have a window of opportunity to elevate the issue and identify effective strategies to protect SRHR in the context of fertility decline. Doing so requires a focus on locally relevant evidence, rights-affirming communications, protection of services and financing, and policy monitoring and safeguarding.