Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights of Persons With Disabilities

Abstract

The World Health Organization estimates that 15 per cent of the world’s population have a disability and that a higher prevalence of disability occurs among people in lower-income countries. Persons with disabilities can have widely varying needs and experiences, depending on factors such as whether they have experienced their disability from birth or later in life, or if they live independently or not. However, all have sexual and reproductive health needs and rights, yet it is an area that can be neglected in health and development policy, and the barriers preventing access to these rights can be widespread. It is therefore crucial to recognise and challenge these barriers in order to provide essential sexual and reproductive education that not only includes disease prevention, but also relationships, fertility desires, and pleasure.