Sexuality and reproduction lie at the heart of what it is to be human and alive. Not recognizing this represents a serious failure on the part of society and governing institutions to understand and respect the whole person beyond just the physical.

Sexual and reproductive rights (SRR) are intrinsic human rights. They encompass respect for bodily integrity, the right to choose one’s partner and the right to decide on sexual relations and having children, among other things. By eliminating sexual and reproductive rights from the development equation, we are denying the value of our very existence as well as that of future generations. Sexuality is as much a part if not more of being fully human and fully alive as needing food and water to live. It is the essence of the joy of being alive and its meaning far broader than biological processes; it encompasses spirituality, human nature and social culture.

However, SRHR are an often vaguely-understood and overlooked component in development; yet their role is fundamental to achieving “sustainable well-being for all” in “the world we want”—two popular catch phrases in the post-2015 debate. Although SRHR proponents have been advocating for the full recognition of these rights for years, they have yet to be given their proper place in the development agenda for the future we want.

In this context BNPS published an Advocacy Brief on it in Bangla for local reader audience. Click here to get a PDF copy. The purpose of this brief is to examine the role and importance of SRHR holistically in the development scenario within the context of their linkages to other fundamental human rights as well as with the global poverty and hunger eradication objective; and put forward essential recommendations for them to be given their rightful place in the post-2015 agenda.

To know more on these topics and to get original version of this document in English, please visit ARROW website.  

• Publisher: BNPS
• Published Date: 30/06/2014
• Author: Dr. Gitiara Nasreen