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Comprehensive Sexual and Reproductive Education (CSRE) enables individuals to lead healthier lifestyles and make informed choices regarding their sexual and reproductive health
Comprehensive Sexual and Reproductive Education helps prevent unintended pregnancies, reduces the incidence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and promotes healthy relationships, consent, and communication
Comprehensive Sexual and Reproductive Education (CSRE) is a structured form of learning and teaching related to sexual and reproductive health. It helps prevent unintended pregnancies, reduces the incidence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and promotes healthy relationships, consent, and communication. In short, CSRE enables individuals to lead healthier lifestyles and make informed choices regarding their sexual and reproductive health.
Dr. Rupali Mishra, Sonologist & Founder, Dr. Rupali’s Abortion Centre shares all you need to know:
However, there are several challenges in implementing CSRE for young adults in India. The first is the prevalence of cultural and social barriers. Discussions about sexual and reproductive health remain taboo in Indian society. Stigma and silence perpetuate this issue, leaving young people vulnerable to misinformation, risky behaviours, and serious health complications. The second challenge is the lack of adequate healthcare facilities and trained educators who can provide accurate and age-appropriate information.
The consequences of limited or absent sexual and reproductive education are devastating. Vulnerable groups, especially young people and teenage girls, face unintended pregnancies outside of consensual relationships. Many are forced, due to stigma and harassment, to seek unsafe abortions from unqualified practitioners or illegal clinics, putting their health and lives at risk. According to the UNFPA State of the World Population Report 2022, about 67% of abortions in India are unsafe, leading to nearly eight women dying every day. Approximately 96,000 women put their lives at risk daily due to unsafe abortions.
Stigmatizing women and girls who seek abortions only worsens the problem. Each state has a responsibility to provide high-quality, evidence-based information and education on sexual and reproductive health. This is in line with Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which guarantees the right to life, and with Article 12 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), which guarantees the right to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health.
The Government must act proactively to ensure that young people especially adolescents and boys are able to realize their right to reproductive health and healthcare, in accordance with India’s international legal obligations. It must also guarantee that accurate information on reproduction and safe sexual practices is made accessible to all sections of the population.
Swati Chaturvedi, a seasoned media and journalism aficionado with over 10 years of expertise, is not just a storyteller; she’s a weaver of wit and wisdom in the digital landscape. As a key figure in News18 Engl…Read More
Swati Chaturvedi, a seasoned media and journalism aficionado with over 10 years of expertise, is not just a storyteller; she’s a weaver of wit and wisdom in the digital landscape. As a key figure in News18 Engl… Read More