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Youths push for SRHR inclusion, equality for marginalized communities
Activists are increasing pressure on governments to address the barriers that are preventing persons with disabilities and LGBT people from accessing information and services in sexual and reproductive health, including prevailing social stigmas.
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Youth activists take part in a public event advocating for inclusive sexual reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in this file photo provided by the United Nations Population Fund. The COVID-19 pandemic has put serious strain on many health services, including young people's access to SRHR services. (Courtesy of UNFPA/-)
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em>Rutgers WPF Indonesia has been offering a media fellowship since July 2021 to 10 national and regional journalists, including the author, in a bid to educate the public about the importance of the sexual and reproductive health and rights of adolescents and young adults. This is the third of five articles produced under the program.
Salman A. Faris, has been actively promoting inclusive sexual and reproductive health among the youth in his hometown of Jember, East Java.
Salman, who has cerebral palsy, is a member of HKSR Inklusif Jember, a grassroots group dedicated to helping young people with disabilities obtain accurate information on their sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and access to related services.
“Most of us do not understand what sexual and reproductive health is and what rights we have. As a result, many of us, especially young girls with disabilities, have become easy targets for sexual predators and have faced various forms of physical and verbal abuse,” Salman told a webinar organized by Rutgers WPF Indonesia for its Media Fellowship Program 2021.
A lot of what had occurred in this space, he said, stemmed from a lack of awareness.
According to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), which came into force in May 2008, persons with disabilities often face barriers to information and services regarding their sexual and reproductive health needs. These barriers are partly reinforced by ignorance or societal attitudes as well as individual behavior, including among healthcare providers.
