Alia Mohammed – Women in Development and Peace
Reproductive and sexual health are fundamental elements that significantly impact the quality of life for individuals and communities. It encompasses not only physical health but also the psychological and social aspects affecting individual well-being. The key component is empowering individuals to make informed reproductive decisions, provide necessary healthcare, and ensure their right to a safe and satisfying sexual life.
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines reproductive and sexual health as “a state of physical, mental and social well-being in all matters relating to the reproductive system,” encompassing the ability to reproduce, enjoy a satisfying sexual life, and freely make decisions about reproduction without coercion or pressure.
In Yemen, the complex humanitarian and political circumstances severely affect women and girls’ reproductive and sexual health. The ongoing conflict impacts access to essential health services, including reproductive healthcare. Women face challenges in accessing necessary medical care during pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum.
Studies and Reports
Studies show that attention to sexual and reproductive health is crucial in reducing maternal and infant mortality rates. According to a WHO report, providing reproductive healthcare services significantly reduces complications associated with pregnancy and childbirth, enhancing maternal health and newborn safety.
The WHO emphasizes that providing sexual and reproductive health services is a priority directly impacting economic development. Individuals and couples with good reproductive and sexual health are better equipped to plan for their family, education, and economic future.
Reproductive health is an integral part of women’s fundamental rights. Human rights organizations’ studies show that violating these rights negatively impacts women’s lives, exacerbating violence against them and increasing poverty rates. Access to reproductive health services is crucial in protecting women from violence related to health and reproduction.
Bodies like the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) indicate that a woman’s right to health includes her sexual and reproductive health. States must uphold and protect women’s rights in this area. Guaranteeing these rights is essential for achieving social justice and gender equality.
Research also shows that providing reproductive health services to women who have experienced violence is a crucial step in promoting their recovery. These services improve their health and empower them to make better decisions about their personal and professional lives.
The Beijing Platform for Action, a landmark document from the Fourth World Conference on Women (Beijing, China), focusing on “action for equality, development and peace,” is a key reference in protecting women’s rights. It affirms that women’s human rights include the right to freely and responsibly decide on matters related to their sexual life, including their sexual and reproductive health, without coercion, discrimination, or violence.
In line with this, CEDAW recommended that states prioritize “the prevention of unwanted pregnancies through family planning and sexual awareness.”
Cultural and Economic Challenges
Rates of illness and death related to sexual and reproductive health are major global public health challenges. According to the WHO, those in difficult humanitarian situations face increased risks and multiple barriers to accessing sexual and reproductive health services, exacerbating their suffering and worsening their health conditions.
In Yemen, women face significant challenges in reproductive and sexual health. Many lack access to basic healthcare, including essential antenatal and postnatal care. This shortage leads to high maternal mortality rates; Yemen’s rate is 385 deaths per 100,000 live births, one of the highest globally.
Lamia Al-Dhaifi, a media professional and activist, explains that the ongoing conflict in Yemen has destroyed the healthcare infrastructure, preventing many women from accessing essential healthcare.
She adds, “The worsening humanitarian crisis makes it difficult for women to access adequate healthcare services, significantly increasing their suffering. She emphasizes that women in rural areas face additional challenges due to a shortage of qualified healthcare facilities, equipment, and resources, as well as a significant lack of doctors and nurses trained in providing reproductive healthcare services, severely limiting women’s access to necessary care during pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum.”
On the other hand, the Committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, along with the CEDAW, points out that violations related to women’s sexual and reproductive health take many forms. These violations include depriving women of access to essential healthcare services, low quality of these services, and requiring the consent of a third party to enable them to receive healthcare. Violations also include performing sexual and reproductive health procedures without their consent, such as forced sterilization, forced virginity testing, and forced abortion. These practices are blatant violations of women’s rights and put them in a vulnerable position that affects their physical and mental health.
Furthermore, women’s rights related to sexual and reproductive health are endangered by other practices, such as female genital mutilation and child marriage, which violate women’s dignity and negatively affect their health.
Jihan Abdul-Hakim, a media professional, believes that issues related to reproductive and sexual health are unacceptable topics for public discussion in Yemeni society, weakening awareness and education in this field.
She believes that some prevalent cultural practices contribute to increased complications and health risks related to reproductive and sexual health; women face social pressure to meet societal expectations that define women’s roles solely in terms of childbearing. This leads to early marriage for girls, exposing them to the risk of early pregnancy, its serious health complications, and death. She also points out that many women are forced into frequent pregnancies to fulfill the family’s desire for sons, which strains women’s health and puts their lives at risk.
Jihan emphasizes that a lack of awareness and misconceptions about reproductive and sexual health, along with the absence of comprehensive educational programs on these issues in schools and universities, represent major challenges that prevent young people in Yemen from acquiring the necessary knowledge for their health.
Access to Family Planning Methods
Family planning is a vital issue that directly impacts women’s and community health. It is defined as a range of methods that help control the number of children and the timing of their births, including the use of contraception, education about reproductive health, and the provision of necessary healthcare. Family planning helps reduce health risks associated with pregnancy and childbirth, such as complications from frequent or early pregnancies, and reduces the number of abortions and related deaths.
In addition to health benefits, family planning allows women to complete their education and improve their job opportunities, contributing to the economic empowerment of the family and society. Through careful planning of the number of children, families can improve their standard of living and provide sufficient resources for their children’s education and care, positively impacting economic and social growth.
In Yemen, many people lack awareness of the importance of family planning, leading to serious health, social, and economic consequences. Customs and traditions in some Yemeni communities are also obstacles to accepting the idea of family planning; childbearing is viewed as a symbol of strength and success, causing many to refrain from using family planning methods or future planning.
Um Kalthoom Nasir, a nurse in a remote village, confirms that social heritage in Yemen plays a significant role in shaping the prevalent values and customs in society. These traditions often influence how society views family planning. She adds that there is a societal consensus on the importance of having many children; childbearing is seen as a sign of strength and wealth, reinforcing this idea in people’s minds.
She also points out that a lack of awareness and education about the benefits of family planning also contributes to the rejection of these traditional ideas. Thus, ignorance of the concept of family planning increases health risks and raises maternal mortality rates due to health complications resulting from frequent or unplanned pregnancies.
Negative Impacts
A special report by the World Health Organization (WHO) confirms that “neglecting sexual and reproductive health in emergencies can lead to serious consequences, including avoidable maternal and newborn deaths, as well as increased cases of sexual violence and associated psychological trauma, unwanted pregnancies, unsafe abortions, and the spread of HIV and sexually transmitted infections.”
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) points out that reproductive health problems are a major cause of illness and death among women and girls of reproductive age. Deprived women face significant suffering due to unintended pregnancies, unsafe abortions, maternal mortality and morbidity, sexually transmitted infections, gender-based violence, and other obstacles related to pregnancy and childbirth.
Young women, in particular, suffer from numerous obstacles hindering their access to information and care related to sexual and reproductive health, increasing the seriousness of the situation.
Proposed Solutions
Many national and international reports emphasize the need to improve women’s health status in Yemen as an essential part of achieving sustainable development. Women’s rights to reproductive and sexual health must be included in national plans and strategies to ensure a better future for generations to come.
The UNFPA calls for strengthening sexual and reproductive health services across a variety of sectors, from healthcare workers to education systems and the delivery of necessary services.
In Yemen, the situation of sexual and reproductive health demonstrates an urgent need for immediate interventions from the government, civil society organizations, international organizations, and society as a whole.
The government must cooperate with NGOs and the international community to provide necessary healthcare services free of charge or at affordable prices. Appropriate policies should be supported to improve access to reproductive health services, including establishing health centers in remote areas and implementing awareness programs targeting women and men on the importance of family planning and reproductive health. Policies supporting reproductive and sexual health rights and strengthening health infrastructure should be enacted to ensure the provision of effective and comprehensive services that meet the needs of the community.