Knowledge

Family planning is central to gender equality and women’s empowerment, and it is a key factor in reducing poverty. Yet in developing regions, an estimated 232 million women who want to avoid pregnancy are not using safe and effective family planning methods, for reasons ranging from lack of access to information or services to lack of support from their partners or communities. This threatens their ability to build a better future for themselves, their families and their communities

Female genital mutilation (FGM) is a traditional harmful practice that involves the partial or total removal of external female genitalia or other injuries to female genital organs for non-medical reasons.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is an infection that attacks the body’s immune system, specifically the white blood cells called CD4 cells. HIV destroys these CD4 cells, weakening a person’s immunity against infections such as tuberculosis and some cancers.

Puberty is the process that boys or girls undergo to become adults and sexually mature; in essence, the period from childhood to adulthood. Puberty involves a series of physical changes in both boys and girls that lead to the development of secondary sex characteristics, the physical features associated with adult males and females (such as the growth of pubic hair).

Good sexual and reproductive health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being in all matters relating to the reproductive system. It implies that people are able to have a satisfying and safe sex life, the capability to reproduce, and the freedom to decide if, when, and how often to do so.

Sexual abuse is any form of forced or unwanted sexual activity, including taking advantage of a person unable to give consent. Sexual harassment is a type of harassment involving the use of explicit or implicit sexual overtones, including the unwelcome or inappropriate promise of rewards in exchange for sexual favours.

Violence against women and girls is one of the most prevalent human rights violations in the world. It knows no social, economic or national boundaries. Worldwide, an estimated one in three women will experience physical or sexual abuse in her lifetime.

Domestic violence (also named domestic abuse or family violence) is violence or other abuse in a domestic setting, such as in marriage or cohabitation. Domestic violence is often used as a synonym for intimate partner violence, which is committed by a spouse or partner in an intimate relationship against the other spouse or partner, and can take place in heterosexual or between former spouses or partners.

Sexual violence or abuse means any unwanted sexual contact. It’s when someone uses force or pressure (either physical or emotional) to get you to do something sexual. Rape is when someone forces or pressures you into having sex. Every state defines crimes like "rape,” "sexual assault," and “sexual abuse” differently.

Sexually Transmissible Infections (STI) are infections, which are transmitted/acquired mainly through unprotected, vaginal, anal or oral intercourse. However, some are transmitted from mother to child before or during birth, through unsafe blood donations, Products, instruments, through genital trauma i.e. rape/other violent acts of man’s sexual assertions of supremacy.