Admin|13 February 2016|4:25pm
Sexual And Reproductive Health Day (SRH), held annually on February 12, is a national event intended to raise awareness of sexual and reproductive health issue and reduce the spread of sexually transmitted infections. Sexual and Reproductive Health has four fields which are sexual health, sexual rights, reproductive health and reproductive rights. These four fields are treated as separate but inherently intertwined.
Sexual Health is a broad area that encompasses many inter-related challenges and problems. Key issues and concerns are human rights related to sexual health, sexual pleasure, eroticism and sexual transmitted diseases (HIV, AIDS, STIs, RTIs) violence, female genital mutilation, sexual dysfunction and mental health related to sexual health. The World Health Organization defines sexual health as "a state of physical, mental and social well being in relation to sexuality. It requires a positive and respectful approach to sexuality and sexual relationships, as well as the possibility of having pleasurable and safe sexual experiences, free of coercion, discrimination and violence."
Sexual Rights include, and focus on, sexual pleasure and emotional sexual expression. Human rights related to sexuality address a wide range of issues and often intersect with several other rights. Examples of sexual rights includes:
-sexualty education.
-Reproductive rights.
-Maternity morbidity and mortality.
-Sex Work.
-Gender identities and expression.
-HIV /AIDS.
-Violence against women.
-Criminalization and other restrictions on abortion.
-Sexual orientation.
-Sexual Rights of young people.
Reproductive Health -Implies that people are able to have a responsible, satisfying and safer sex life and that they have the capability to reproduce and the freedom to decide if, when and how often to do so. People ought to be informed of and to have access to safe, effective, affordable and acceptable methods of birth control, also access to appropriate health care services of sexual reproductive medicine and implementation of health education programs.
REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS – are legal rights and freedoms relating to reproduction health. The World Health Organization defines reproductive rights as follows: "Reproductive rights rest on the recognition of the basic right of all couples and individuals to decide freely and responsibly the number, spacing and timing of their children and to have the information and means to do so, and the right to attain the highest standard of sexual and reproductive health. They also include the right of all to make decisions concerning reproduction free of discrimination, coercion and violence".
Coco-Bassey Esu
SA -Media & Publicity, to the Commissioner for Health, CRS
