Sexual health requires a positive and respectful approach to sexuality and BEST FREE PORN VIDEOS sexual relationships, as well as the possibility of having pleasurable and safe sexual experiences, free of coercion, discrimination and violence. For sexual health to be attained and maintained, the sexual rights of all persons must be respected, protected and fulfilled. Evidence consistently shows that high-quality sexuality education delivers positive health outcomes, with lifelong impacts. Young people are more likely to delay the onset of sexual activity – and when they do have sex, to practice safer sex – when they are better informed about their sexuality, sexual health and their rights.

In most societies, they have lower status and have less control over decision-making about their bodies, in their intimate relationships, families and communities, exposing them to violence, coercion and harmful practices. Women and girls face high risks of unintended pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections including HIV, cervical cancer, malnutrition and depression, amongst others. Gender inequality also poses barriers for women and girls to access health information and critical services, including restrictions on mobility, lack of decision-making autonomy, limited access to finances, lower literacy rates and discriminatory attitudes of healthcare providers. Access to sexual and reproductive health services is a human right and should be available to all people throughout their lives, as part of ensuring universal health coverage. This not only contributes to improved health outcomes, but also to gender equality and wider development.
Sexuality education equips children and young people with the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values that help them to protect their health, develop respectful social and sexual relationships, make responsible choices and understand and protect the rights of others. A major milestone is the new edition of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) which has a chapter on sexual health for the first time. By providing the latest evidence-based definitions, WHO is facilitating the diagnosis and appropriate management for a wide variety of conditions related to sexual health. WHO’s 13th General Programme of Work ( ) recognizes the need to promote gender equality and to mainstream gender in all of the Organization’s work. WHO develops norms, standards and guidelines and delivers training on gender-responsive health service provision and delivery, and commissions research on issues focusing on gender equality, human rights and health equity. Gender diverse people are more likely to experience violence and coercion, stigma and discrimination, including from health workers.

Compendium on respectful maternal and newborn care

Looking at outcomes from various initiatives, the research recommends redesigning sexual education and health interventions to incorporate sexual pleasure considerations, including when promoting safer sex. This means acknowledging the reasons why people have sex – and recognizing that sexual experiences can and should be pleasurable. Gender mainstreaming is the process of assessing the implications for women, men and gender diverse people of any planned action within a health system, including legislation, policies, programmes or service delivery, in all technical areas and at all levels. It is a strategy for making the concerns and experiences of diverse women and men an integral dimension of the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies and programmes in all spheres so that they benefit equally and inequality is not perpetuated. Gender mainstreaming is not an end in itself but a strategy, an approach and a means to achieve the goal of gender equality. Data show that men’s increased risk of acquiring SARS-COV2, is also linked to their lower rates of handwashing, higher rates of smoking and alcohol misuse and, related to that – higher comorbidities for severe COVID-19 symptoms as compared to women.

HRP Statistics Portal: End-to-end research process in sexual and reproductive health research

Many women, girls and gender-diverse persons experience non-consensual and violent sexual activity. WHO and HRP are supporting national efforts around the world to prevent and manage the consequences of all forms of sexual violence. WHO also supports country-level action to strengthen health sector response to gender-based violence as well as to address gender equality in health workforce development and gender-related barriers to health services. WHO works to challenge gender stereotypes and to implement programmes, services and policies that promote gender equality in order to achieve health equity and Universal Health Coverage.
Evidence- and rights-based national policies, guidelines and legislation play a key role in improving sexual, reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and... WHO has been working in the area of sexual health since at least 1974, when the deliberations of an expert committee resulted in the publication of a technical report entitled "Education and treatment in human sexuality" (WHO, 1975). Self-care refers to the ability of individuals, families and communities to promote health, prevent disease, maintain health and cope with illness,... Sexuality education also helps them prepare for and manage physical and emotional changes as they grow up, including during puberty and adolescence, while teaching them about respect, consent and where to go if they need help.
Sexual orientation cannot be assumed from one’s assigned sex at birth, gender identity or gender expression. On sexuality education, as with all other issues, WHO provides guidance for policies and programmes based on extensive research evidence and programmatic experience. There is sound evidence that unequal gender norms begin early in life, with harmful impacts on both males and females. It is estimated that 18%, or almost 1 in 5 girls worldwide, have experienced child sexual abuse. Intended to support school-based curricula, the UN’s global guidance indicates starting CSE at the age of 5 when formal education typically begins. However, sexuality education is a lifelong process, sometimes beginning earlier, at home, with trusted caregivers.
Well-designed and well-delivered sexuality education programmes support positive decision-making around sexual health. Evidence shows that young people are more likely to initiate sexual activity later – and when they do have sex, to practice safer sex – when they are better informed about sexuality, sexual relations and their rights. Gender analysis identifies, assesses and informs actions to address inequality and inequity[1]. Systematically collecting and analyzing data disaggregated by sex and additional factors such as age, ethnicity, socio-economic status and disability, is critical.

Infants are generally assigned the sex of male or female at birth based on the appearance of their external anatomy/genitalia. The HRP Alliance supports research capacity strengthening by bringing together institutions conducting research in sexual and reproductive health and rights... (1) It should be noted that this definition does not represent an official WHO position and should not be used or quotedas such. It is offered instead as a contribution to ongoing discussion about sexual health. Lubricants (also called personal lubricants) are usually liquid gels that can be used by individuals during sexual activity.
Data suggests that transgender individuals experience high levels of mental health illness – linked to the discrimination and stigma they face from societies and in healthcare settings[1]. The IBP Network's 2024 Annual Report showcases a dynamic year of progress in advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) through evidence-based... Through such an approach, sexuality education improves children’s and young people’s ability to react to abuse, to stop abuse and, finally, to find help when they need it. Another recommendation is for policy-makers to integrate brief sexuality-related communication when possible, a clinical tool for behaviour change which takes a holistic and positive understanding of sexual health and sexuality.
Societal expectations and norms around "manhood" lead men to engage in risk-taking behaviors; for example, being encouraged to have multiple sexual partners. In addition to affecting men’s health, this also leads to negative outcomes for women and children due to increased interpersonal violence, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and unintended pregnancy. Men’s lack of participation in domestic and care work adds to the high burden of unpaid care work often performed by women[1]. When sexual and reproductive health services are absent, there are serious negative impacts.
Comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) is a curriculum-based process of teaching and learning about the cognitive, emotional, physical and social aspects of sexuality. WHO recently collaborated with partners, including HRP, to develop guidance for out-of-school CSE programmes that are appropriate and safe for different groups of children and young people. This complements the guidance developed by the United Nations on school-based sexuality education. Both these guidance documents reiterated that sexual activity is part of normal and healthy living, as is giving and receiving sexual pleasure.