Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR): An essential component of the universal right to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other International human rights conventions, declarations and consensus agreements. These fundamental rights are; the right to non-discrimination, the right to health and privacy, the right to education and the right to determine the number of children and spacing among others.
UNDERSTANDING OF RWANDAN COMMUNITY ON SEXUAL REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH:

In many parts of the country, especially in rural areas, issues concerning young girl’s sex and sexuality are not openly discussed. They are surrounded by myths and misconceptions and regarded as taboo topics. Young people are often groping in the dark about many issues and reject their feelings, as they have been told these are sinful. As a result, high rates of clandestine abortions, increased maternal mortality, high number of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), unwanted pregnancies and child marriages are enormous challenges that many young people face in Rwanda.

Through Women’s Health and Equal Rights Association Rwanda outreach activities in schools and in community, this is what youth have told us; Young people are naturally sexually active, but we often do not have the legal right to freely decide on and express our sexuality and/or sexual preferences.
Neither do we have access to adequate information and health services. We do not get full access to contraceptives and safe abortion services and youth-friendly services where we are treated with respect and confidentiality.

• >> We Work as an advocacy effort for young people in SRHR Related Issues: We are convinced that when the voice of young people is heard more loudly and clearly, programs and policies can be implemented more effectively, as they would then more accurately and directly reflect the actual needs of young people. Our battle for more and more Meaningful Youth Participation is therefore essential.

•>> We have Created Platforms to discuss SRHR related issues: Women’s Health and Equal Rights Association Rwanda have been able to establish a number of platforms using different approaches including gender transformative approach that provides opportunities to young people in schools and in community to discuss on issues concerning young people’s sex and sexuality.
To effectively achieve our target WHERAR is always on ground to facilitate these discussions.
•>> Teachings on Family Planning: by definition, is deciding the number and spacing of your children; through the use of contraception: such as abstinence, natural planning, or hormonal birth control.

Looking at Rwanda’s Priorities as a country, Family Planning was not left in isolation but it was placed in the wider context of other national commitments and goals, including Vision 2020, the Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy (EDPRS), and international plans of development such as the Millennium Development Goals, the New Partnership For African Development, the International Conference on Population and Development, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the Africa Health Strategy. In addition, in the year 2012 Rwanda has developed a Family Planning Policy as a guide on what the government of Rwanda choose to do or not do in relation to family planning.

Under this Program, below are the Services that Women’s Health and Equal Rights Association Rwanda provides for Males and Females::

• Teachings on Several Birth Control Options including Natural Family Planning Methods.
• Community Dialogues on Safe abortion awareness
• Advocacy Campaigns to eliminate the silent pandemic of unsafe abortion
• Free HIV Testing, PMTC.
• Education on Family PLANNING, Healthy choices with regards to SRHR,Sexually Transmitted Infection Prevention, Smoking Cessation, Overall Reproductive Health and Life Plans.
• Counseling is included with all of our services.