Sexual and Reproductive Health Awareness Day 2022

Sexual and reproductive health awareness day is observed on February 12th, 2022 annually to promote awareness about sexual and reproductive health (SRH).

Sexual and Reproductive Health Day

The annual day is incorporated with various dimensions related to sexuality — physical, mental, emotional, and social well-being as sexual and reproductive health is not merely the absence of infirmity or dysfunction as per the World Health Organisation. People involve around the world to spread precise knowledge and safer, affordable, and effective contraceptive methods.

This allows one to maintain their sexual and reproductive health by preventing sexually transmitted infections (HIV/ AIDS), unsafe abortions, and unplanned pregnancies, and simultaneously enjoy a healthy and safer pregnancy.

SRH Issues to be Addressed

Among the important sexual and reproductive health issues are:

• Puberty: Transition from childhood to adulthood is generally related to several physical and psychological changes. Providing adolescent-friendly health services may help prevent human rights abuses concerning sexuality, marriage, and childbearing.
• Access to modern contraception: Proper information and access to safer contraceptives help avoid unintended pregnancies and simultaneously reduce unsafe abortions, and pregnancy complications.
• Pregnancy and unsafe abortion: Nearly half of the pregnancies are unwanted, unintended, and end in abortion. It is thereby necessary to implicate proper information on inclusive sexuality education for better health.
• Sexually transmitted infections (STIs): STIs and HIV/AIDS pose a heavy burden to sexual and reproductive health affecting overall well-being. Easy access to sexual and reproductive information may help prevent STIs and HIV.
• Gender-based violence: Violation of a person’s rights also increases the vulnerable populations (women and girls) at higher risk of sexually transmitted infections, unintended pregnancies, and social issues.
• Influence of information and communication technologies (ICTs) on sexual behavior: ICTs and social media may provide sexual information that is inaccurate and inappropriate.
• Cyberbullying and sexting: Cyber harassment and explicit usage of self-produced sexual images may invite various high-risk behaviors.
• Alcohol, tobacco, and drugs abuse: Risky sexual behavior is reported to be increased with substance misuse as it impairs decision-making.
• Poor mental/emotional health: It is equally important to address emotional and mental health problems to reduce the augmented rates of unsafe sex, sexually transmitted diseases, and early sexual experiences.

Measures Undertaken

The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India, has provided ways for access to health services for sexual and reproductive health by launching numerous programs under the umbrella of RMNCH+A (Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health).

The Adolescent Reproductive & Sexual Health Programme incorporates knowledge on various aspects of growing life like age, economic status, marital status, and cultural background.

Another adolescents’ health program called Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram, launched in collaboration with United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) provides preventive and counseling services at primary, secondary, and tertiary levels for the adolescents of age group 10 to 19 years.

Get involved!

To create positive effects on varied aspects of sexuality, it is crucial to launch multiple school-based sexuality education programs that may help organize better well-being concerning sexuality.

This sexual and reproductive health awareness day, help build an open society for all young people to be themselves by promoting the right sexual education.

Reference:

1. Sexual and Reproductive Health Awareness Day - (https://www.nhp.gov.in/srh-awareness-day-2021_pg)

Source-Medindia