Reproductive rights and reproductive health

The Programme of Action called on countries to ensure that universal voluntary access to a full range of reproductive health-care information and services is achieved by 2015, recognizing also that sexual health is part of reproductive health. Reproductive rights were defined as the right and freedom of couples and individuals to make reproductive decisions free from coercion, discrimination and violence. Recognizing family planning as a means rather than a demographic end in itself, the Programme of Action emphasized that family planning programmes must enable couples and individuals to decide freely and responsibly the number and spacing of their children and to have in hand the information and means to do so. At the time of the Cairo Conference, HIV and AIDS were not high on the political agenda and were seen mostly in the context of sexually transmitted infections. Thus, the Programme of Action called for preventing, reducing the incidence of, and providing treatment for sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV and AIDS. It highlighted the relationship between human sexuality and gender relations, calling for equity and mutual respect between the genders regarding responsible sexuality. The Cairo Declaration called particular attention to the reproductive health needs of adolescents and urged that they be actively involved in the planning, implementation and evaluation of development activities concerning reproductive health, prevention of early pregnancies, sexuality education and prevention of HIV and AIDS.

Related Subject(s): Population and Demography