UNFPA Sri Lanka joined hands with the Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA) for the 136th anniversary of the international congress and beyond on sexual reproductive health rights of women and adolescents in 2023, said a UNFPA release.

It said that the 136th Anniversary International Medical Congress was held this year at the BMICH, Colombo from 25th – 28th July 2023 with presence from medical and legal professionals. The event aimed to create awareness on legal and policy barriers that are affecting women and adolescents in achieving their sexual and reproductive health rights and on health issues faced by women and adolescents due to legal, policy and systemic barriers.

Under the SLMA theme for 2023, ‘Towards Humane Healthcare: Excellence, Equity, Community’, the sessions supported the knowledge and skills of health professionals’ advocacy work and discussed the constraints and taboos related to sexual and reproductive health rights that affect women and adolescents in seeking healthcare.

The collaborative session with UNFPA reflected on the advocacy and policy priorities developed in 2018 to support women, adolescents and safeguard their rights to achieve the sustainable development goals by 2030.

Sri Lanka has reached significant health and social development goals in the past few decades. The strong primary healthcare system in the country has played a major role in reducing maternal, child health, under five-year mortality and communicable diseases.

The three-day event aimed to strengthen mechanisms and capacities of national and community actors to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment, especially related to their health and wellbeing.

The sessions were conducted by the Department of Public and International Law at the Faculty of Law of the University of Colombo, Sri Lanka and an Attorney-at-Law Prof Dinesha Samararatne, Cadre Chair Professor of Forensic Medicine at the University of Kelaniya Prof Anuruddhi Dissanayake, Co-Founder of the Asia Safe Abortion Partnership in 2008 and practicing gynecologist Dr Suchithra Dalvie and a medical educator for undergraduates and post graduate trainees in Obstetrics and Gynecology and honorary Consultant Obstetrician and Gynecologist Dr. Prabodhana Ranaweera.

Speaking on modern medicine, patriarchy and women’s sexual and reproductive health rights, Dr. Suchitra Dalvie noted that women were seen as ‘natural’ nurses due to their maternal and caring instincts and were underpaid, overworked and never received the kind of professional respect and opportunities that the male doctors did and as a result of this, modern medicine does not support the agency, autonomy, dignity and choices of women and queer persons, which has a direct impact on their sexual and reproductive health and rights.

Prof. Anuruddhi Edirisinghe, noting the legal and policy barriers women and adolescents face, said the patriarchal nature of Southeast Asian social norms lead to negative outcomes for women and adolescents for accessing sexual and reproductive health services in Sri Lanka.

UNFPA and SLMA will host a media seminar in September 2023 to share and discuss a policy document prepared by the Expert Committee on Women with cooperation from the Ministry of Health.