Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights

What are Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights?

Good sexual and reproductive health is a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing in all matters relating to the reproductive system. 

It implies that people are able to have a satisfying and safe sex life, the capability to reproduce and the freedom to decide if, when, and how often to do so. 

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. And when they decide to have children, women must have access to skilled healthcare providers and services that can help them have a fit pregnancy, safe birth and healthy baby.

Every individual has the right to make their own choices about their sexual and reproductive health. 

Source: UNFPA

What prevents women from realising their Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights?

Everyone deserves the right to decide if and when to have children. But around the world, too many women still can’t access reproductive healthcare. 

In East Africa, and in low- and middle-income countries globally, there is a high unmet need for family planning, especially among adolescents. Women and adolescents with unmet need are those who want to space or delay childbearing but are not using any method of contraception.

In the under-resourced and rural areas where we work in East Africa, women face many barriers to realising their Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights.

These include:

• Lack of effective policies, inadequate resources and funding hinders access to quality SRHR information and services.
• Lack of accessible and appropriate information and services, particularly for youth, those with disabilities, language and literacy barriers as well as cultural differences.
• Discrimination against women and girls affecting ability to make decisions around their bodies and health, through limited access to SRHR information and services.
• Negative attitudes and norms as well as misconceptions and stigma surrounding SRHR.
• Poverty, driving school drop out, child marriages and transactional sex for sanitary pads, food and/or money. 

How does CHASE Africa improve knowledge and access to Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights?

CHASE Africa supports our local partners to enable communities to sustainably realise their Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights through:

1. Improved knowledge and attitudes towards Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights 
2. Partnering with Ministry of Health to improve and increase access and quality of Sexual and Reproductive Health services
3. Influencing and advocacy 
4. Supporting an active partner network 

Our community health programmes integrate the delivery of Sexual and Reproductive Health services into primary healthcare, to make healthcare as accessible as possible to all. 

When girls and women can determine whether, with whom, when, and how they have sex they are more able to make informed decisions around contraception, and therefore more likely to finish their education, find time for employment, help keep their family out of poverty and create a more sustainable world. Through safe access to modern contraceptives, we can prevent unintended pregnancies, unsafe abortions and maternal deaths.