While the last two decades have seen improvements in access to and utilization of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services, progress in many countries has been slow and - after decades of investments - disappointing. Social activists and health analysts have highlighted the potential role that persistent inequities in health play in hindering progress towards achieving international and national development goals. Health inequity is defined as "inequalities in health deemed to be unfair or to stem from some form of injustice. The dimensions of being avoidable or unnecessary have often been added to this concept. A primary concern of public health programmes is the existence of disparities in access to and utilization of health services and information. Data from population-based surveys document that women from the poorest households are less likely to use preventive and curative sexual and reproductive health services and products than women from the wealthiest households including use of modern contraceptives, antenatal care, skilled attendance at birth, and seek treatment for self-reported symptoms of sexually transmitted infection.