Positive approach needed: WHO

SEXUAL health is relevant throughout a person’s life, from adolescence to old age and not only during the reproductive years, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).
The WHO said sexual health was determined by the quality and safety of people’s relationships: with oneself and other individuals, with family and friends, and the society in which we live, including the gender norms that shape our experiences.
The WHO said its definition of sexual health emphasised a positive and respectful approach to sexuality and sexual relationships, that was much more than just physical – one that cannot be separated from sexual well-being.
“Sexual health is not a fixed state of being, and every person’s needs will change across the life course,” WHO former director of sexual and reproductive health and research, Ian Askew, said.
“This is why it is crucial to undertake a range of activities across this continuum: from support of sexual well-being, to prevention and management of disease.”