Sexual rights - meaning and definition
Alsosexual and reproductive rightsreproductive rightsSRHRsexual and reproductive health and rights
Definition
Sexual rights are human rights as they apply to sexuality, such as the right to bodily integrity, to choose a partner, to decide whether to have children and to access sexual health information and care.
At a glance
- Human rights as they apply to sexuality.
- Include bodily integrity, choosing a partner and deciding whether to have children.
- Also include access to sexual health information and care.
- The WHO links them to achieving sexual health.
- How they are recognised in law varies greatly around the world.
In detail
The World Health Organization describes sexual health as requiring a positive, respectful approach to sexuality, free of coercion, discrimination and violence, and notes that sexual rights must be respected for it to be achieved.
Organisations such as the International Planned Parenthood Federation have set out declarations of sexual rights. How these rights are recognised in law varies greatly around the world.
In a sentence
- The charity campaigns for sexual rights, including access to accurate sex education.
- The right to choose who you marry is part of sexual rights.
Where the word comes from
The idea took shape in international human rights and health discussions in the 1990s, including the UN conferences in Cairo (1994) and Beijing (1995), and was later set out in declarations by organisations such as IPPF.
Common questions
What are examples of sexual rights?
The right to bodily integrity, to choose a partner, to decide whether and when to have children, to be free from sexual violence and coercion, and to access sexual health information and services.
Are sexual rights protected by law everywhere?
No. International bodies and health organisations describe sexual rights as human rights, but how they are recognised in national law differs greatly between countries.