In 2023, a call for papers was issued for a special edition of the Bulletin of the World Health Organization with a focus on sexual health and well-being across the lifecourse. This edition has now been published.
Drawing on current evidence, this issue of the Bulletin covers sexual health topics affecting people in all their diversity and across various life stages, including women from pre-menarche to post-menopause.
Several priorities for advancing sexual health and well-being are outlined within its contents: from strengthening human rights approaches and frameworks, to putting in place self-care interventions, to expanding implementation research and papers covering topics such as sexual orientation, maternal health, harmful gender norms, menstruation, mpox, gender expression and sex characteristics. Papers from a range of experts highlight that sexual health is fundamental to people's overall health and well-being, to the dignity of the individual and to the social and economic development of communities and countries.
Thirty years ago, the International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo, Egypt (ICPD), affirmed the right of all couples and individuals to attain the highest standard of sexual and reproductive health. Ten years later, WHO published its global Reproductive health strategy that included sexual health as one of its five defining components. Grounded in gender equality, these frameworks are supportive of people as rights holders and recognize the immutability and centrality of sexual health to advance comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights.
Sexual health topics are often viewed reductively as primarily being about sexually transmitted infections. Sexual health in all its dimensions is historically overlooked – and underfunded – and sexual well-being ignored. Additional efforts are therefore needed to prioritize sexual health and well-being within the broader framework of sexual and reproductive health and rights.
With persistent effort on all fronts, we can foster societies where all people can experience their sexuality safely, positively and with dignity.
According to the articles in this edition of the Bulletin, a broader, people-centred focus on sexual empowerment and social and commercial determinants of sexual health is needed.
In a perspective published earlier this year, WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus provided concrete steps needed to make universal sexual and reproductive health and rights a reality: "With persistent effort on all fronts, we can foster societies where all people can experience their sexuality safely, positively and with dignity. The health and human rights imperatives are clear – it is time for the global health community to unite around a bold agenda to affirm and secure sexual health as part of sexual and reproductive health and rights for all."
