Realizing Rights

Sexual and reproductive wellbeing has gained recognition as a basic right, enshrined in international law. Yet reality on the ground is different, as society, health programmes and aid agencies are all entrenched in old ways. Fundamental shifts in thinking and practice are needed to realize these rights and transform these realities. This book portrays a wide range of innovative examples from around the world. From popular theatre in Nigeria to participatory research in Britain; from role-playing in Cambodia to visualizing reproductive health in Zimbabwe and from collaborative planning in Egypt to community dialogue in the Andes, these twenty-four chapters reveal the value of transforming approaches to sexual and reproductive wellbeing. All begin with the need to engage women, men and youth more directly in determining pathways to change; and all highlight both the complexities and the possibilities of making rights real.