Pacific: Sexual Health is Our Right

Sexual health is our right, but that doesn’t mean we have it.

The international definition of sexual and reproductive health aims to ensure complete wellbeing in all matters relating to the reproductive system. It is a great idea, but unfortunately in the Pacific Islands it is a long way from truly existing, especially for HIV positive people,

The facts are simple, like in many other parts of the world, access to condoms, a full range of birth control options, emergency contraceptive pills and secondary health care are limited in many parts of the Pacific Islands – especially outer islands.

That’s where the upcoming International Conference on Actions to Strengthen Linkages between Sexual and Reproductive Health and HIV/AIDS comes in. It is a chance to bridge the changing health scene and with the continued increase of HIV.

“We are here to prioritize our actions and how our work will lead to better living for people,” says Dr. Manjula Lusti-Narasimhan, of World Health Organization Department of Reproductive Health and Research who are co-convening this conference.

“HIV is primarily sexually transmitted, or transmitted through pregnancy and breastfeeding by an HIV positive mother,” Dr. Lusti- Narasimhan added. In this, she makes the obvious connection between HIV and sexual and reproductive health as both areas address sexual activity, parenthood, and personal wellbeing.

From contraceptive use to prevention methods to sexuality of HIV positive youth to pregnancy and parenthood, this conference aims to dig deep into the issues around sexual and reproductive health and HIV. The objective is to review specific research, identify successful approaches and challenges in order to link these two areas, and recommend specific policy and programmatic actions.

Pacific Islands AIDS Foundation (PIAF) will ensure that Pacific Islands issues, especially the sexual and reproductive health issues of HIV positive people, are raised and addressed. We all have a right to control our sexual health, to choose to have children or not, and to access condoms.