Sexual Health and Wellbeing through the Life Course: Ensuring Sexual Health, Rights and Pleasure for All

Abstract

This commentary summarizes the context and positioning of sexual health, sexual rights and sexual pleasure, as three interlinked and indivisible aspects of sexual health and wellbeing (SH&W). In turn, sexual health is a major domain within broader sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), both in its own right as a human right, and owing to the importance of good sexual health for ensuring good reproductive outcomes. Furthermore, SRHR is a necessary, core part of overall health, thus sexual health and wellbeing is a fundamental aspect of general health that is often overlooked or even denied for some. In this commentary, we utilize a life course approach to illustrate how the tripartite of sexual health, rights and pleasure manifest themselves with different interlocking linkages, and actively contribute to overall health throughout life. As other papers in this series attest, the linkages of pleasure with the right to and attainment of health has received inadequate attention to date, both within the scientific literature and in policy narratives.

Keywords:

• Sexual health & wellbeing
• sexual health
• sexual pleasure
• sexual and reproductive health and rights
• life course
• universal health coverage
• sexual health promotion
• adolescent sexuality
• adult sexuality
• sexual health policy
• sexual satisfaction
• women's rights

Conflict of interest statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.