The achievement of the Millennium Development Goals – including improving maternal health, reducing child mortality, promoting gender equality, and combating HIV/AIDS – depend directly on ensuring widespread access to sexual health services and protection of sexual rights. IPPF is currently working on a draft bill on Sexual Rights which builds on the IPPF Charter on Sexual and Reproductive Rights (1996) and other relevant international and national documents to emphasize sexuality within a human rights framework and address some of the emerging social justice issues. The bill addresses issues of comprehensive sexuality education, rights of sexually diverse populations, honor killings, trafficking, hate crimes, laws that criminalize consensual sex among adults, labor and domestic issues like sexual harassment, commercial sex work, civil partnerships and adoption, the right to pleasure and sexual satisfaction, and the right to desire, dreams, fantasies and eroticism. To know more about the IPPF Bill of sexual rights, write to access@ippfsar.org.
Research Summary: Community-based study on seroprevalence of herpes simplex virus type 2 infection in New Delhi published in Indian Journal of Medical Microbiology (2008 January - March) is the report of a study conducted to determine the seroprevalence of herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) in two urban communities in Delhi and to correlate the presence of HSV-2 seroprevalence with sociodemographic profile, risk factors and presence of other reproductive tract infections (RTIs). Men and women aged between 15-49 years from an urban slum and an urban middle class colony were invited to participate in the study. They provided interview information; blood for HSV-2, HIV and syphilis serology; first void urine specimens for diagnosis of Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis infection; and genital specimens for diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis, vaginal candidiasis and trichomoniasis. The prevalence of HSV-2 seropositivity was found to be 7 and 8.6% in men and women, respectively. HSV-2 seropositivity was found to be significantly associated with urban middle class community and older age. No statistically significant correlation was found between HSV-2 seropositivity and other laboratory-confirmed RTIs. The findings of this study indicate a relatively low prevalence of HSV-2 seropositivity and other sexually transmitted infections in the two communities that were studied.
(Courtesy: The Pop Reporter,
http://www.infoforhealth.org/popreporter/2008/02-11.shtml )
Resources: IPPF has published a peer education frame work titled Included Involved Inspired: A framework for Youth Peer Education Programs. This framework can be used to initiate a new peer education program or to review and improve an existing one. See the document at:
http://www.ippf.org/NR/exeres/E60376ED-793E-487D-B65F-82DBA9CEC96C.htm
News: Applications are being invited for the Staying Alive award 2008 from individuals and youth led organizations who are working on HIV prevention and AIDS education campaigns. Completed application forms must be received by 7th April 2008. See details at:http://www.staying-alive.org/
Events: International Harm Reduction Association will organize ‘Harm Reduction 2008: IHRA’s 19th International Conference’, from the 11th to the 15th May 2008 in Barcelona. For details on scholarships for participation visit:
http://www.ihra.net/Barcelona/ScholarshipInformation
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access@ippfsar.org