by Innocent Grant

The UN General Assembly brings together the world’s most accomplished and engaged young leaders working on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). Many of these leaders are sounding the alarm on the growing threat to sexual and reproductive health and rights across the globe.

FPNN Community Reporter, Innocent Grant, checked in with these leaders and asked them about the state of SRHR and what needs to be on the UNGA agenda.

Bisrat Dessalegn

I believe that Comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) is a critical component of advancing SRHR policy as CSE equips individuals, especially adolescents and youth with the knowledge and skills necessary to make informed decisions about their sexual and reproductive lives.

Bola Daniel BABAYEDJOU

La solution à prioriser pour améliorer les résultats en matière de santé sexuelle et reproductive est de renforcer l'éducation complète et inclusive sur la sexualité, tout en assurant l'accès aux services de santé reproductive pour tous, y compris les groupes marginalisés. En intégrant la santé sexuelle et reproductive à mon travail, je pourrais sensibiliser davantage de personnes sur leurs droits en matière de santé, renforcer l'accès à des services de qualité, et contribuer à l'amélioration du bien-être général des communautés, en particulier des jeunes et des femmes.

The solution to prioritize improving sexual and reproductive health outcomes is to strengthen comprehensive and inclusive sexuality education while ensuring access to reproductive health services for all, including marginalized groups. By integrating sexual and reproductive health into my work, I could make more people aware of their health rights, strengthen access to quality services, and contribute to improving the general well-being of communities, especially young people and women.

Goodness Boluwatife
Adenowo, MD

Female genital mutilation is still on the rise in Nigeria, affecting the three major tribes; Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba. This harmful cultural belief and practice is as a result of a huge knowledge gap and inadequate health awareness. To address this burden,  cultural sensitivity will play a significant role and this involves, learning about the beliefs that inform these practices, while also providing accurate information about the risks associated with Female Genital Mutilation. All these needs to be done with conscious efforts as well as advocacy for the health and rights of people affected by female genital mutilation.

Watson Mavura

To improve SRHR outcomes, I firmly believe that comprehensive sex education and accessible reproductive services are crucial. This includes addressing systemic barriers, promoting inclusive policies, and empowering marginalized communities to make informed decisions about their bodies and well-being. 

Aura Lindo

One topic I believe needs to be talked about more in sexual and reproductive health is menstrual equity. Around the globe strides have been made to improve period poverty, the lack of access to safe and hygienic spaces to manage menstruation. However I believe much more awareness and intention needs to be brought to educating young people regardless of gender about the complete menstrual cycle and how changing hormones impact our everyday life.  I believe true investment in menstrual health education initiatives, in addition to providing comprehensive reproductive healthcare that supports the natural cycle brings us not only closer to our own bodies but to each other as we build a network of stigma free community care. 

Najma Ilma Justine 

Despite its proven effectiveness, many regions still lack adequate access to CSE, which equips young people with critical knowledge about consent, contraception, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and reproductive health rights.

Open dialogue around integrating CSE into schools and communities, tailored to local contexts, can significantly impact SRH outcomes, especially in preventing unintended pregnancies and reducing STI rates.

For those not yet working in sexual health, incorporating SRH into their work can strengthen it by fostering holistic well-being. In fields like community development, counseling, or youth advocacy, SRH can be pivotal in addressing issues like gender-based violence, mental health, and social inequalities.

Understanding and promoting SRH rights would allow for more inclusive, empowered communities, ultimately enhancing broader health and social outcomes.

KASHINDE ETUMBA SMITH

En matière de la santé sexuelle et reproductive, bien que plusieurs sujets demeurent importants sur lequel nous devons plus insister, toutefois, celui en lien avec les interdits dans les traditions demeuré doivent levés. Il faut encore une communication intense de sensibilisation. 

When it comes to sexual and reproductive health, there are still a number of important issues on which we need to place greater emphasis, but the one relating to traditional prohibitions remains to be resolved. Intense communication and awareness-raising are still needed.

Andi Asrul Juwanda

As a health communication and health education student, I’ve come to realize that Comprehensive sex education is vital in equipping individuals, especially young people at higher risk for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), with the knowledge and skills to protect themselves. These programs should provide accurate information on sexual health, consent, contraception, and STI prevention, including the importance of condom use, regular testing, and open communication with partners. Addressing misconceptions, reducing stigma, and ensuring access to sexual health services are key to empowering individuals to make informed decisions and prevent the spread of STIs in our communities.

Jefferson Chen

Community-centered interventions are essential to improving SRHR, particularly in regions where access to healthcare and information is limited. One significant example is the use of community health workers, such as nurses and midwives embedded in local networks, to deliver contraception and family planning services directly to underserved women. These workers are trusted members of the community, making them uniquely positioned to bridge the gap between formal healthcare systems and the individuals who need care the most. By integrating health workers into local communities, interventions become not only more accessible but also more culturally sensitive and sustainable.

Community trust and engagement are key drivers of success. When health workers are from the communities they serve, they can address the unique social and cultural barriers that often prevent women from accessing sexual and reproductive health services. In the case of Lafiya Nigeria, our Lafiya Sisters are deeply embedded within the communities, and are the node of trust between the community and healthcare access. Through conducting community outreaches to wards and settlements where there are often women from for instance the Fulani tribe, who are unregistered in the healthcare system, we ensure that we can truly reach the unmet need. This approach also allows for more personalized and continuous care, which is critical for fostering long-term behavior change regarding family planning and contraceptive use.

Back to the SRHR at UNGA Home