Sexual health is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as “a state of physical, emotional, mental and social well-being related to sexuality; It is not just the absence of disease, dysfunction or disability. For sexual health to be achieved and maintained, the sexual rights of all people must be respected, protected and fully exercised.”
For its part, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has defined sexual health as “the experience of the permanent process of achieving physical, psychological and sociocultural well-being related to sexuality.”
Sexuality is a central aspect of human beings throughout their lives and includes sex, gender identities and roles, sexual orientation or preference, eroticism, pleasure, intimacy and reproduction.
Sexuality is experienced or experienced and expressed in thoughts, fantasies, desires, beliefs, attitudes, values, behaviors, practices, roles and relationships. Although sexuality can include all of these dimensions, not all of them are always experienced or expressed. Sexuality is influenced by the interaction of biological, psychological, social, economic, political, cultural, ethical, legal, historical, religious and spiritual factors.
Sexuality is a central aspect of human beings throughout their lives.
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Both organizations believe that, for sexual health to be achieved and maintained, the sexual rights of all people must be respected. Indeed, to achieve it, the WHO assures that a “positive and respectful approach to sexuality and sexual relations is required, as well as the possibility of having pleasurable and safe sexual relations, free of coercion, discrimination and violence.”
Sexual health is the result of an environment that recognizes, respects and exercises these sexual rights:
1. The right to sexual freedom. Sexual freedom encompasses the possibility of the full expression of individuals’ sexual potential. All forms of sexual coercion, exploitation and abuse are excluded at any time and situation in life.
2. The right to autonomy, integrity and sexual security. This right includes the ability to make autonomous decisions about one’s sexual life within the context of personal and social ethics. Also included are the ability to control and enjoy our bodies, free from torture, mutilation and violence of any kind.
3. The right to sexual privacy. This involves the right to individual decisions and behaviors made in the area of privacy as long as they do not interfere with the sexual rights of others.
4. The right to sexual equality. This right refers to opposition to all forms of discrimination, regardless of sex, gender, sexual orientation, age, race, social class, religion or physical or emotional limitation.
5. The right to sexual pleasure. Sexual pleasure, including autoeroticism, is a source of physical, psychological, intellectual and spiritual well-being.
6. The right to emotional sexual expression. Sexual expression goes beyond erotic pleasure or sexual acts. Every individual has the right to express their sexuality through communication, contact, emotional expression and love.
7. The right to free sexual association. It means the possibility of marrying or not, divorcing, and establishing other types of responsible sexual partnerships.
8. The right to make free and responsible reproductive decisions. This encompasses the right to decide whether or not to have children, the number and spacing between each one, and the right to full access to fertility regulation methods.
Every individual has the right to express their sexuality
9. The right to information based on scientific knowledge. This right implies that sexual information must be generated through free and ethical scientific research, as well as the right to appropriate dissemination at all social levels.
10. The right to comprehensive sexual education. This is a process that begins at birth and lasts throughout life and should involve all social institutions.
11. The right to sexual health care. Sexual health care should be available for the prevention and treatment of all sexual problems, concerns and disorders.