SRHR meaning Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights is defined as “the right for all, whether young or old, women, men or transgender, straight, gay, lesbian or bisexual, HIV positive or negative, to make choices regarding their own sexuality and reproduction, providing they respect the rights of others to bodily integrity. This definition also includes the right to access information and services needed to support these choices and optimize health" by the UN Women.
It was first widely recognized by the Cairo International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), in 1994 and then Fourth World Conference on Women (FWCW), in 1995, held in Beijing. At ICPD 1994, delegates from all regions and cultures agreed that reproductive health is a basic human right.
The significant features that make SRHR different from other health rights are:
- All individuals are entitled to SRHR regardless of their age, gender, sex and sexuality.
- It is a crucial component of universal health care, which guarantees social, emotional, mental, and physical well-being in addition to the absence of disease or malfunction.
- Mostly, the SRHR comprises and interlinks both the health and legal aspects
Sexually transmitted illnesses, such as HIV, gender-based violence, maternal mortality, childcare and the provision of basic healthcare services are all addressed by SRHR. The right is considered fundamental for ensuring the overall development of an individual as well as their country as it's focused on improving the health and well-being of individuals which ultimately benefits the country by promoting economic growth and Reducing poverty and inequality.
Mainly, the people deprived of SRH such as women and girls, sexual and gender minorities, sex workers, indigenous people, and people under the poverty line mostly from underdeveloped and developed countries benefit from SRHR.
The World Health Assembly approved the WHO Reproductive Health Strategy in 2004, and it outlined the following essential aspects of sexual and reproductive health that are governed by universally recognized human rights principles:
- Improving antenatal, perinatal, postpartum, and newborn care
- Providing high-quality services for family planning, including infertility services
- Eliminating unsafe abortion
- Combating sexually transmitted infections including HIV, reproductive tract infections, cervical cancer, and other gynecological morbidities
- Promoting sexual health
- Preventing and responding to violence against women for improving reproductive health outcomes
National SRHR policies have proven to strengthen societies and increase a nation's prosperity since the Beijing Platform for Action (1995) and the International Conference on Population and Development (1994).
- Increase acceptance and legalization of safe abortion
- Antiretroviral drugs are received by the majority number of people living with HIV
- Decrease in child marriages mainly in South Asia
Nepal by endorsing the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), in1994 had initiated the linkages to SRHR by government level. The realization and awareness gained from the conference had made the government more sensitive and committed to ensure the SRHR of the citizen’s which resulted in the Interim Constitution of Nepal (2007) in asserting “Every woman shall have the right to reproductive health and other reproductive matters”.
The following policy and legal provisions are in relation to SRHR:
- National Health Sector Strategy 2016-2021
- Safe Motherhood and Reproductive Health Act 2018
- Nepal Safe Motherhood and Newborn Health Programme Roadmap 2030
As reported by the background document for the Nairobi summit on ICPD 25, until 2019, the 25th anniversary of the ICPD, the government-level awareness of SRHR has led to a national-level positive impact on Nepal as follows:
- Legalizing of abortion in 2002 resulted in
- Reduced severe abortion complications and maternal mortality to 258 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2015 which was 548 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2000
- Provision of abortion or post-abortion care by more than 100 government-approved health facilities in 2014
- Increase in service users of safe abortion to 98,640 in 2017/18 as recorded in Government of Nepal, Ministry of Health and Population, 2019
- Use of Post-abortion contraceptive increased to 75 per cent in 2017/18 as recorded in Government of Nepal, Ministry of Health and Population, 2019
Additionally, on 2019, Nepal in advancing SRHR has made the following recommitments to the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) Programme of Action at the Nairobi Summit:
- Achieve the three zeros:
- Zero unmet need for family planning
- Zero preventable maternal death
- Zero gender-based violence and harmful practices, including child marriage
- Ensure young people can exercise their SRHR by expanding adolescent-friendly services and comprehensive sexuality education (CSE).
- Ensure that the basic humanitarian needs of affected populations, including sexual and reproductive health care and gender-based violence prevention and response services, are addressed in humanitarian contexts.
- Put in place financing policies, instruments, and structures to ensure the full implementation of the ICPD Programme of Action and the 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
SRHR is not concerned with just instant health service and rights but a sustainable assurance of both services and rights. It directly intersects with the health of an individual, gender equality, women’s empowerment, poverty reduction and sustainability of the environment. Ignorance in provision of SRHR will affect the socio-economic aspects of human life which ultimately hinder the Sustainable development of a country.
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 3, 5, 10 and 11 are the specific goals that include the concerns of SRHR, while the two of the targets: 3.7 and 5.6 are based completely on SRHR.
SDG 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote wellbeing for all at all ages
Target 3.1
By 2030, reduce the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 live births.
Target 3.2
By 2030, end preventable deaths of newborns and children under 5 years of age, with all countries aiming to reduce neonatal mortality to at least as low as 12 per 1,000 live births and under-5 mortality to at least as low as 25 per 1,000 live births.
Target 3.3
By 2030, end the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and neglected tropical diseases and combat hepatitis, water-borne diseases and other communicable diseases.
Target 3.4
By 2030, reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and wellbeing
Target 3.5
Strengthen the prevention and treatment of substance abuse, including narcotic drug abuse and harmful use of alcohol.
Target 3.6
By 2020, halve the number of global deaths and injuries from road traffic accidents.
Target 3.7
By 2030, ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, including for family planning, information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programmes.
Target 3.8
Achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health-care services and access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all.
Target 3.9
By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination
Target 3.a
Strengthen the implementation of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in all countries, as appropriate
Target 3.b
Support the research and development of vaccines and medicines for the communicable and non-communicable diseases that primarily affect developing
Target 3.c
Substantially increase health financing and the recruitment, development, training and retention of the health workforce in developing countries, especially in least developed countries and Small Island developing States.
Target 3.d
Strengthen the capacity of all countries, in particular developing countries, for early warning, risk reduction and management of national and global health risks
SDG 4: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
Target 4.2
By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and pre-primary education so that they are ready for primary education
SDG 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
Target 5.3
Eliminate all harmful practices, such as child, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation
Target 5.6
Ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights as agreed in accordance with the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development and the Beijing Platform for Action and the outcome documents of their review conferences
Target 5.c
Adopt and strengthen sound policies and enforceable legislation for the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls at all levels
SDG 10: Reduce inequality within and among countries
Target 10.2
By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status
Target 10.3
Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices and promoting appropriate legislation,policies and action in this regard
Target 10.4
Adopt policies, especially fiscal, wage and social protection policies, and progressively achieve greater equality.
The following human rights are directly associated with SRHR:
Article 2: Freedom from discrimination
Article 3: Right to life
Article 5: Freedom from torture
Article 12: Right to privacy,
Article 25: Right to adequate standard of living
Article 26: Right to education
SRHR although the unavoidable right for each individual, but many are still deprived of its access as there are multiple barriers to achieving SRHR which often cause the violation of the rights:
- Prevalence of Gender Stereotypes
- Ingrained Social and cultural beliefs
- Control of female’s mobility and sexuality
- Sex and sexual health considered as a taboo subject
- Privatization of sexual and reproductive health
- Challenges in accessing information and services
- Existing acceptance of child marriage, teen pregnancy, less gap in child bearing and marital rape
- Decrease in prioritization and funding on SRHR during pandemics.
Source: https://nepal.unfpa.org/sites/default/files/pub-pdf/factsheet-final.pdf
The some of the evident examples of barriers of SRHR are as follows:
- Conservative forces have reversed hard-won rights and threaten to further restrain progress on the health and rights of girls and women.
- Two of the leading causes of death for adolescents in the developing world, maternal mortality and AIDS, are related to SRHR.
- In developing countries, more than 20 million girls and young women aged 15-19 have an unmet need for modern contraception. Globally, approximately 3.9 million adolescent girls risk their lives every year undergoing unsafe abortions.
- Research shows that comprehensive sexuality education has positive effects on knowledge and behaviors and can contribute to delayed initiation of sexual activity, reduced risk-taking, and more gender-equitable attitudes.
- SRHR is integrated within several regional and international agreements, including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. However, several states have made reservations to certain articles in these conventions by which they renege on their obligations to protect SRHR. Other states maintain weak legal frameworks and inadequate enforcement. These obstacles prevent real progress in providing quality and accessible sexual and reproductive health services to all.
https://plan-international.org/un/our-priorities/sexual-and-reproductive-health-and-rights/
- Increase acceptance and respect for SRHR
- Support greater investment on citizen’s SRHR
- Empower the youth advocate on their SRHR.
- Providing early education on comprehensive sex and sexuality education.
- Expanding the choices of contemporary contraception methods.
- Strictly avoid the dominant ingrained Social and cultural beliefs/ stigmas to interfere in formation and implementation of state’s SRHR.
- Make public space, schools, hospitals and offices sensitive on individual’s SRH.
- Easing the access to quality SRH services and age-responsive information.
- Maternal and child health care services
- HIV/AIDS treatment services
- Safe abortion services
- Psycho-social support services
- Monitoring and recording the status of SRHR program’s implementation and impacts.
Used Sources:
2 https://um.fi/sexual-and-reproductive-health-and-rights-srhr-in-finland-s-development-policy
3https://reproductive-health-journal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12978-021-01174-z
7 https://www.slideshare.net/worecnepal/srhr
7, 8, 9 https://nepal.unfpa.org/sites/default/files/pub-pdf/factsheet-final.pdf
10 https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/349623/WHO-SRH-21.141-eng.pdf
11https://sdgs.un.org/sites/default/files/202009/SDG%20Resource%20Document_Targets%20Overview.pdf
12 https://www.standup4humanrights.org/en/article.html
https://www.un.org/sites/un2.un.org/files/2021/03/udhr.pdf
13 https://plan-international.org/un/our-priorities/sexual-and-reproductive-health-and-rights/
https://www.ohchr.org/en/node/3447/sexual-and-reproductive-health-and-rights
14 https://plan-international.org/un/our-priorities/sexual-and-reproductive-health-and-rights/
SRHR meaning Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights is defined as “the right for all, whether young or old, women, men or transgender, straight, gay, lesbian or bisexual, HIV positive or negative, to make choices regarding their own sexuality and reproduction, providing they respect the rights of others to bodily integrity. This definition also includes the right to access information and services needed to support these choices and optimize health" by the UN Women.
It was first widely recognized by the Cairo International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), in 1994 and then Fourth World Conference on Women (FWCW), in 1995, held in Beijing. At ICPD 1994, delegates from all regions and cultures agreed that reproductive health is a basic human right.
The significant features that make SRHR different from other health rights are:
- All individuals are entitled to SRHR regardless of their age, gender, sex and sexuality.
- It is a crucial component of universal health care, which guarantees social, emotional, mental, and physical well-being in addition to the absence of disease or malfunction.
- Mostly, the SRHR comprises and interlinks both the health and legal aspects
Sexually transmitted illnesses, such as HIV, gender-based violence, maternal mortality, childcare and the provision of basic healthcare services are all addressed by SRHR. The right is considered fundamental for ensuring the overall development of an individual as well as their country as it's focused on improving the health and well-being of individuals which ultimately benefits the country by promoting economic growth and Reducing poverty and inequality.
Mainly, the people deprived of SRH such as women and girls, sexual and gender minorities, sex workers, indigenous people, and people under the poverty line mostly from underdeveloped and developed countries benefit from SRHR.
The World Health Assembly approved the WHO Reproductive Health Strategy in 2004, and it outlined the following essential aspects of sexual and reproductive health that are governed by universally recognized human rights principles:
- Improving antenatal, perinatal, postpartum, and newborn care
- Providing high-quality services for family planning, including infertility services
- Eliminating unsafe abortion
- Combating sexually transmitted infections including HIV, reproductive tract infections, cervical cancer, and other gynecological morbidities
- Promoting sexual health
- Preventing and responding to violence against women for improving reproductive health outcomes
National SRHR policies have proven to strengthen societies and increase a nation's prosperity since the Beijing Platform for Action (1995) and the International Conference on Population and Development (1994).
- Increase acceptance and legalization of safe abortion
- Antiretroviral drugs are received by the majority number of people living with HIV
- Decrease in child marriages mainly in South Asia
Nepal by endorsing the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), in1994 had initiated the linkages to SRHR by government level. The realization and awareness gained from the conference had made the government more sensitive and committed to ensure the SRHR of the citizen’s which resulted in the Interim Constitution of Nepal (2007) in asserting “Every woman shall have the right to reproductive health and other reproductive matters”.
The following policy and legal provisions are in relation to SRHR:
- National Health Sector Strategy 2016-2021
- Safe Motherhood and Reproductive Health Act 2018
- Nepal Safe Motherhood and Newborn Health Programme Roadmap 2030
As reported by the background document for the Nairobi summit on ICPD 25, until 2019, the 25th anniversary of the ICPD, the government-level awareness of SRHR has led to a national-level positive impact on Nepal as follows:
- Legalizing of abortion in 2002 resulted in
- Reduced severe abortion complications and maternal mortality to 258 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2015 which was 548 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2000
- Provision of abortion or post-abortion care by more than 100 government-approved health facilities in 2014
- Increase in service users of safe abortion to 98,640 in 2017/18 as recorded in Government of Nepal, Ministry of Health and Population, 2019
- Use of Post-abortion contraceptive increased to 75 per cent in 2017/18 as recorded in Government of Nepal, Ministry of Health and Population, 2019
Additionally, on 2019, Nepal in advancing SRHR has made the following recommitments to the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) Programme of Action at the Nairobi Summit:
- Achieve the three zeros:
- Zero unmet need for family planning
- Zero preventable maternal death
- Zero gender-based violence and harmful practices, including child marriage
- Ensure young people can exercise their SRHR by expanding adolescent-friendly services and comprehensive sexuality education (CSE).
- Ensure that the basic humanitarian needs of affected populations, including sexual and reproductive health care and gender-based violence prevention and response services, are addressed in humanitarian contexts.
- Put in place financing policies, instruments, and structures to ensure the full implementation of the ICPD Programme of Action and the 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
SRHR is not concerned with just instant health service and rights but a sustainable assurance of both services and rights. It directly intersects with the health of an individual, gender equality, women’s empowerment, poverty reduction and sustainability of the environment. Ignorance in provision of SRHR will affect the socio-economic aspects of human life which ultimately hinder the Sustainable development of a country.
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 3, 5, 10 and 11 are the specific goals that include the concerns of SRHR, while the two of the targets: 3.7 and 5.6 are based completely on SRHR.
SDG 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote wellbeing for all at all ages
Target 3.1
By 2030, reduce the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 live births.
Target 3.2
By 2030, end preventable deaths of newborns and children under 5 years of age, with all countries aiming to reduce neonatal mortality to at least as low as 12 per 1,000 live births and under-5 mortality to at least as low as 25 per 1,000 live births.
Target 3.3
By 2030, end the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and neglected tropical diseases and combat hepatitis, water-borne diseases and other communicable diseases.
Target 3.4
By 2030, reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and wellbeing
Target 3.5
Strengthen the prevention and treatment of substance abuse, including narcotic drug abuse and harmful use of alcohol.
Target 3.6
By 2020, halve the number of global deaths and injuries from road traffic accidents.
Target 3.7
By 2030, ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, including for family planning, information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programmes.
Target 3.8
Achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health-care services and access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all.
Target 3.9
By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination
Target 3.a
Strengthen the implementation of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in all countries, as appropriate
Target 3.b
Support the research and development of vaccines and medicines for the communicable and non-communicable diseases that primarily affect developing
Target 3.c
Substantially increase health financing and the recruitment, development, training and retention of the health workforce in developing countries, especially in least developed countries and Small Island developing States.
Target 3.d
Strengthen the capacity of all countries, in particular developing countries, for early warning, risk reduction and management of national and global health risks
SDG 4: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
Target 4.2
By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and pre-primary education so that they are ready for primary education
SDG 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
Target 5.3
Eliminate all harmful practices, such as child, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation
Target 5.6
Ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights as agreed in accordance with the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development and the Beijing Platform for Action and the outcome documents of their review conferences
Target 5.c
Adopt and strengthen sound policies and enforceable legislation for the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls at all levels
SDG 10: Reduce inequality within and among countries
Target 10.2
By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status
Target 10.3
Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices and promoting appropriate legislation,policies and action in this regard
Target 10.4
Adopt policies, especially fiscal, wage and social protection policies, and progressively achieve greater equality.
The following human rights are directly associated with SRHR:
Article 2: Freedom from discrimination
Article 3: Right to life
Article 5: Freedom from torture
Article 12: Right to privacy,
Article 25: Right to adequate standard of living
Article 26: Right to education
SRHR although the unavoidable right for each individual, but many are still deprived of its access as there are multiple barriers to achieving SRHR which often cause the violation of the rights:
- Prevalence of Gender Stereotypes
- Ingrained Social and cultural beliefs
- Control of female’s mobility and sexuality
- Sex and sexual health considered as a taboo subject
- Privatization of sexual and reproductive health
- Challenges in accessing information and services
- Existing acceptance of child marriage, teen pregnancy, less gap in child bearing and marital rape
- Decrease in prioritization and funding on SRHR during pandemics.
Source: https://nepal.unfpa.org/sites/default/files/pub-pdf/factsheet-final.pdf
The some of the evident examples of barriers of SRHR are as follows:
- Conservative forces have reversed hard-won rights and threaten to further restrain progress on the health and rights of girls and women.
- Two of the leading causes of death for adolescents in the developing world, maternal mortality and AIDS, are related to SRHR.
- In developing countries, more than 20 million girls and young women aged 15-19 have an unmet need for modern contraception. Globally, approximately 3.9 million adolescent girls risk their lives every year undergoing unsafe abortions.
- Research shows that comprehensive sexuality education has positive effects on knowledge and behaviors and can contribute to delayed initiation of sexual activity, reduced risk-taking, and more gender-equitable attitudes.
- SRHR is integrated within several regional and international agreements, including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. However, several states have made reservations to certain articles in these conventions by which they renege on their obligations to protect SRHR. Other states maintain weak legal frameworks and inadequate enforcement. These obstacles prevent real progress in providing quality and accessible sexual and reproductive health services to all.
https://plan-international.org/un/our-priorities/sexual-and-reproductive-health-and-rights/
- Increase acceptance and respect for SRHR
- Support greater investment on citizen’s SRHR
- Empower the youth advocate on their SRHR.
- Providing early education on comprehensive sex and sexuality education.
- Expanding the choices of contemporary contraception methods.
- Strictly avoid the dominant ingrained Social and cultural beliefs/ stigmas to interfere in formation and implementation of state’s SRHR.
- Make public space, schools, hospitals and offices sensitive on individual’s SRH.
- Easing the access to quality SRH services and age-responsive information.
- Maternal and child health care services
- HIV/AIDS treatment services
- Safe abortion services
- Psycho-social support services
- Monitoring and recording the status of SRHR program’s implementation and impacts.
Used Sources:
2 https://um.fi/sexual-and-reproductive-health-and-rights-srhr-in-finland-s-development-policy
3https://reproductive-health-journal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12978-021-01174-z
7 https://www.slideshare.net/worecnepal/srhr
7, 8, 9 https://nepal.unfpa.org/sites/default/files/pub-pdf/factsheet-final.pdf
10 https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/349623/WHO-SRH-21.141-eng.pdf
11https://sdgs.un.org/sites/default/files/202009/SDG%20Resource%20Document_Targets%20Overview.pdf
12 https://www.standup4humanrights.org/en/article.html
https://www.un.org/sites/un2.un.org/files/2021/03/udhr.pdf
13 https://plan-international.org/un/our-priorities/sexual-and-reproductive-health-and-rights/
https://www.ohchr.org/en/node/3447/sexual-and-reproductive-health-and-rights
14 https://plan-international.org/un/our-priorities/sexual-and-reproductive-health-and-rights/