Since the advent of democracy in South Africa, major transformations have taken place in health legislation, health policy and health and social service delivery. Before 1994, there were no comprehensive reproductive health policies in South Africa. In keeping with international trends at the time, women’s health services consisted mainly of maternal and child health services.

Currently, South African reproductive health policies and laws are among the most progressive and comprehensive in the world in terms of the recognition that they give to human rights, including sexual and reproductive rights. These changes occurred against a background of broader international sexual and reproductive health and rights reform. South Africa endorsed the Platforms of Action from the International Conference (ICPD) in 1994 and the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing (FWCW) in 1995. These conferences made explicit the links between women’s sexual and reproductive health and women’s rights and socio-economic development, based on a broadened definition of sexual and reproductive health. The importance of including men in sexual and reproductive health was also emphasised.