To ensure that such services are available, accessible and of good quality, there should be a change in the mindset of the society

The WHO reports that about 3.9 million out of a total of 5.6 million abortions that happen among adolescent girls globally are unsafe, resulting in maternal mortality, morbidity and lasting health implications. Experts and researchers say that it is finally time to do away with the taboo around sexual and reproductive health and treat is as an indispensable aspect overall health and well-being.

Speaking at a Health4All webinar on ‘Sexual and Reproductive Health: Current Status, Challenges and the Way Forward’ organised by HEAL Foundation, Ms Anisha Agarwal, Senior –Director  IPAS Development Foundation, said, “While the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971, is a good beginning, there is scope for further improvement, especially in giving women the right to abortion. This would drastically reduce illegal abortions which could endanger the lives of women. I think it is absolutely necessary to make abortions available on demand and that is actually what NGOs and expert committees have been proposing to be incorporated in the MTP Act. However, the idea has met with huge resistance. Even though there are a lot of movements and activism going on around it, we are expecting this to happen in its own time only. As of now, we are trying to look at the bright side keeping in mind the latest amendment that has been made and trying to implement the same to the best of our ability.”

She added, “There is also a need to integrate sexual health services into the existing public health infrastructure and national health programmes to ensure that such services are available, accessible and of good quality, there should be a change in the mindset of the society.”

Dr Ajay Khera, Country Representative – Engender Health, said, “Family planning should not be equated with population control. Instead, family planning should be seen as a dynamic for improving the health of women and children, and must be used as a women empowerment tool. Therefore, repositioning of family planning is required and contraception services should be freely available so that people do not feel any kind of hesitation in availing these services. Our aim should be to make every pregnancy wanted and safe.”

Speaking with specific reference to women’s health, he also said that “Anaemia is a silent killer and all major diseases aggravate due to this. Every second woman in the country has been found to be suffering from Anaemia and one of the major reasons behind it is that people do not consume foods that contain adequate quantities of iron and other minerals.”

Talking of the need to introduce the concept of period leaves at work, Ms Shuma Banik, Head – Happy Periods, said that “Companies should give women ‘Period Leave’ as menstruating women undergo a lot of hormonal changes and pain. It is a myth that their productivity would dip if such a leave is granted. Moreover, women should be given the choice to exchange Period Leaves so that the needy would get adequate rest.”

She also said that “Tampons and menstrual cups are safe, economical and much more friendly to use than conventional pads.”

Touching upon the issue of violence against women, Ms Kuhika Seth, Gender Specialist – International Centre for Research on Women, said, “There has been a steep rise in cases of intimate partner violence and sexual violence globally India is no exception. This is a ‘shadow pandemic’ that worsened during the COVID crisis. As the pandemic took shape and migrant workers returned home, we heard reports of increased alcoholism and increased mental stress for the man, the woman as well as for the children as they were not able to go to school. The household in itself was dealing with a lot of problems altogether and as a result, women bore the brunt of it. From our remote studies that we had been conducting all this time, we saw an increased incidence of forced sex and violence, be it physical, verbal or emotional.”

Dr Rajesh Katre, Public Health Consultant – Maternal & Child Health – said “The coronavirus pandemic worsened the child rights crisis in India. The centre and state governments are addressing the issue of abandoned children and COVID orphans.”