Sexual and Reproductive Health Awareness Day 2021

What is the need?

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 satisfaction, diseases (HIV/AIDS, STIs, RTIs), violence, female genital mutilation, sexual dysfunction, and mental health-related to sexual health. 
• Sexually transmitted infections continue to be one of the major public health concerns. 
• Health awareness events create publicity for health issues and aim to improve the condition and help save lives, sometimes these events encourage preventative action against conditions becoming more serious.

When is it celebrated?

Sexual and Reproductive Health Awareness Day is held every year on February 12 & This year SRH Week is from February 8-14 with the theme: Youth-friendly care: it’s your right. 

• It is an opportunity to raise awareness about sexual and reproductive health issues and to educate people to reduce the spread of sexually transmitted infections.
• Every young person deserves to have their sexual health taken seriously. 
• Youth-friendly sexual health care centers see access to sexual and reproductive health as a right. It means having open, non-judgmental, trauma-informed, and sex-positive conversations about sex, sexuality, and sexual health.
• Every young people should feel empowered, comfortable, and supported when they visit a healthcare provider.

Important SRH issues:

Puberty: 

• Adolescence is an appropriate time to build healthy habits and lifestyles relating to SRH, as it is the transition from childhood to adulthood and is associated with physical and psychological changes. 
• They are also vulnerable to human rights abuses, in the areas of sexuality, marriage and childbearing. Health services should be adolescent-friendly.

Access to modern contraception: 

• Women and young girls must-have information and access to services that can help them to avoid unwanted pregnancy.
• Contraceptives prevent unintended pregnancies, reduce the number of abortions, and lower the incidence of death and disability related to complications of pregnancy and childbirth.

Pregnancy and unsafe abortion: 

When girls and women do not have access to quality services and information they are at risk of unintended pregnancy.

Almost half of all pregnancies are unintended and approximately half of unwanted pregnancies end in abortion. 

If abortion is unsafe it can put women’s and girls’ lives and well-being at risk. 

Unsafe abortion can be prevented through:

• Comprehensive sexuality education

• Access to affordable contraception

• Safe abortion care

• Information relating to sexual activity- ICTs and social media have enormous information on sexuality and relationships, however, these technologies can also provide access to inaccurate and inappropriate information.

• Cyberbullying- Cyber harassment can lead to disorders.

• Sexting- The private exchange of self-produced sexual images via cell phone or the Internet is new high-risk behaviour among youth, which should be addressed in SRH.

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV/AIDS: 

• STIs and HIV/AIDs have a profound impact on an individual’s and couple’s sexual and reproductive health and well-being. 
• It is therefore imperative that all people have access to sexual and reproductive information, education and communication to prevent STIs and HIV.

Gender-based violence: 

Violence is a violation of a person’s rights and also puts women, girls, and already vulnerable populations at heightened risk of HIV infection and unintended pregnancy, among other health and social issues.

Influence of information and communication technologies (ICTs) on sexual behaviour:

Poor mental/emotional health: 

Emotional and mental health problems are also associated with increased rates of unsafe sex, sexually transmitted diseases, and early sexual experiences.

Alcohol, tobacco, and drugs abuse: 

A high prevalence of risky sexual behavior is reported in association with substance misuse, as alcohol and drug consumption may impair decision-making.

Interventions related to SRH

The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India has launched several programmes under the umbrella of RMNCH+A to provide health services for sexual and reproductive health.

Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram:

Launched in collaboration with United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is a health program for adolescents in the age group of 10-19 years, to provide preventive, promotive, curative, and counseling services with routine check-ups at primary, secondary, and tertiary levels.

Jansankhya Sthirata Kosh:

National Population Stabilisation Fund or Jansankhya Sthirata Kosh (JSK) is an autonomous society of the Ministry. 

• It has a toll-free helpline 1800-11-6555 for replying queries on reproductive health, family planning and infant health.
• This helpline operates daily from 9am to 11pm. 
• A team of health executives and doctors answer questions about sexual health concerns, sexually transmitted infections, contraception, pregnancy, infertility, abortions, menopause, and puberty and can explain the functioning of the reproductive systems of males and females.

School-based sexuality education programs: 

These are most effective for creating positive effects, including increasing knowledge about different aspects of sexuality, behaviors, and risks of pregnancy or HIV and other STIs.

• To maintain one’s sexual and reproductive health, people need access to accurate information and the safe, effective, affordable, and acceptable contraception method of their choice. 
• They must be informed and empowered to protect themselves from sexually transmitted infections, HIV/ AIDS, unintended pregnancies, and unsafe abortions.

Reference:

1. https://www.nhp.gov.in/sexual-and-reproductive-health-awareness-day_pg
2. https://www.nhp.gov.in/about-sexual-and-reproductive-health-awareness-day_pg
3. https://www.actioncanadashr.org/srhweek
4. https://twitter.com/mohfw_india/status/962941841237721089?lang=sv photo credit
5. https://shrikhandeivf.com/blog/sexual-and-reproductive-health-awareness-day/ photo credit