Let’s not forget about sexual reproductive health and rights

I once read that in the ’80s, NASA wanted to send astronaut Sally Ride – the first American woman in space – on a space mission with 100 tampons. Her trip was six days. They could have spared that embarrassment by simply talking about it.

In the ’80s I was a young adult and Sally Ride’s example, although hilarious now, is quite a good reflection of the awareness about women’s bodies at that time. All bodies for that matter. The ’80s were also known for the rise of AIDS. Because of that, sexual education in the Netherlands strongly focused on the dangers of sexually transmitted diseases which, while important, did not leave much space for discussions about other aspects of intimacy such as mutual consent, safety and pleasure.

It’s March – women’s month. We celebrate women and all the amazing achievements we have accomplished in different fields and all over the world. It is both a celebration and a period to reflect on the challenges we still face. I think of my daughter and all the amazing women and girls I’ve met in the Philippines.

We cannot talk about women’s rights without talking about sexual reproductive health and rights. Many young people are curious and seek answers to questions about their bodies. Did you know that 48 percent of sexually active women in the Philippines do not have access to contraceptives? That can have many reasons: sex-related services being taboo subjects, strict requirements to access birth control (for example parental consent) or lack of information on possible consequences of unprotected sex. As a result, 51 percent of pregnancies in the Philippines are unintended. These statistics should be a wake-up call.

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) calculated that for every $1 investment in maternal health and family planning interventions by the Philippine government, there can be an $18 return in national economic benefits by 2050. Let’s be clear: our bodies are not here to make money off. But enabling women to make their own informed choices about their future is beneficial for the country as a whole.

A recent report from the Netherlands showed that Dutch youth start having sex at a much later age than before. In 2012 this was 17 years, it’s now 18.7 years. Why? Because we started talking more about it at an earlier age. It shows that intentional, conscious and age-appropriate sex education at home and at school has positive impacts and contributes to the healthy and safe development of children.

Of course, it is not an easy topic to address with (y)our children or students. It can be awkward, and you might struggle with cultural or religious norms. President Macros Jr. is certainly not afraid to touch upon the subject with his sons, given the birthday present he gifted one of them recently.

Ensuring that girls and women realize their right to sexual and reproductive health and rights through open, non-judgmental conversations and that they have control over their lives and bodies is critical to achieving gender equality.

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Marielle Geraedts is the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.