What is SRHR?

In the age of empowerment for marginalized communities, the need for individual rights has become clearer than ever. Through education, it becomes clearer the need for health and understanding that health encompasses topics that may be considered taboo to the general public. In the battle for equal rights, the term SRHR has become synonymous with an attempt to provide care and protection to those who need it most.

The term SRHR came from a 1994 conference in Cairo, This conference was the International Conference on Population and Development. The coining of the term marked a significant shift in the development of health. This term became synonymous with the women’s rights movement, which saw it as an opportunity to talk about subject matters such as pregnancy, abortion, sexual and reproductive health, and more. The term gave rise to several bodies that actively work to battle stigma, miseducation, and neglect in the space of women’s rights. The focus on Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights allows individuals to be more mindful and empathetic of emotional and physical changes and attributes that tie into a person’s development. Understanding that sexual health is a part of the human experience has given way to a better chance for change and development.

Several organizations have dedicated their existence to tackling sexual health. DC, as an organization, has dedicated a majority of its work as a torchbearer for the SRHR movement. Since its inception, DC has continuously worked towards ensuring the protection of SRHR for the underprivileged and marginalized communities of India. Projects such as TeenBook India and LoveMatters India provide resources and services to individuals across the northern states of India in tackling adolescent development and sexuality. These resources provide a better understanding and a better platform for learning to the younger population, which allows them to avoid misinformation and live healthier lives. Project Sampusthi also works in the realm of menstrual hygiene and menstrual health by providing pads and services to underprivileged women in their time of need. Additionally, projects such as Unsound allow for the feminist movement to tackle spaces that need it most. Providing resources, helplines, care, and more that allow individuals to know that they have someone to talk to when they need it most.

Today, we are in dire need of education. Sex is still seen as taboo, which not only hinders the attempts at progress but also spreads fear in the minds and hearts of those who need help the most. Since the inception of the SRHR, the aim has been to provide care to those who need it most.

As we continue into the next generation, we continue to strive for a better reach when it comes to health services, but also a better understanding of the nature and need of SRHR in the world today.