Sexual Health and Rights come to town

The Namibia Planned Parenthood Association (NAPPA), an affiliate member of the International Planned Parenthood Federations (IPPF) under the auspices of the African Federation for Sexual Health and Rights will host the 5th Africa Conference on Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights from 19 to 22 September in Windhoek.
The conference is hosted every second year. This year, the theme is “Sexual Health and Rights in Africa: Where are We?” and is expected to attract over 450 participants from all over the world including policy makers, development activists, sexual health and rights advocates as well as civil society organisations, academics and educators.
The conference offers a unique opportunity to further seek ways of mobilising actions for improved understanding of sexuality and promotion of sexual health and well-being of all people on the African continent.
Delegates will investigate the status of sexual health and rights in Africa and in particular focus on women, girls, adolescents and youth. Efforts will be made to ensure that many constituent groups and stakeholders engage in learning exchange around policy and programme management including financing for sexual health.
The objectives of the conference is to take stock of responses to sexual health and rights on the continent since the International Conference on Population and Development Further discussion will explore sexual health and rights of all women, from young to mature.
The presentations, papers and posters will explore the conference theme and sub-themes relating to “Sexual and Reproductive Rights.” Under discussion will be legal aspects, policy issues and programme implementation issues. As part of the broader context of female sexuality, delegates will be asked to give their views on, among others, disability, adolescent sexual conduct, HIV/Aids, sexual orientation, and gender identity. The financing of approriate programmes will be analysed, taking the scope through to capacity building, awareness, education, and finally, protection.
The desired outcome of the conference is to build alliances, enhance capacity and learning exchange for improved Policy, Legal and Programme management on sexual and reproductive rights, to disseminate relevant international declarations, charters and guidelines to civil society organisations to enhance their role in promoting sexual and reproductive rights and to produce a conference technical report that can be publicised for use by various institutions working in the field of sexual and reproductive rights.