Narrowing the vague: SRHR and Environment

Written by: Surendra Kumar Bohara

Kahthmandu, Nepal

Health and environment are deeply related from the past. Early ecologists had defined bad health as the result of mal-adaptation with the environment. Ecological concept of health defines health as state that is maintained by equilibrium with one’s internal and external environment. In holistic concept health means, “a sound mind in a sound body in a sound family in a sound environment”. Sexual and Reproductive Health and Right are center to all health aspects of human Health. Thus, in shaping the sound sexual and reproductive health, environment plays a vital role. World has moved into the miracle of science and technology. A world of realm and eternity has been possible due to industrialization, and this is only possible by using natural resources and omitting the natural processes. In this artificial world most of activities are against nature. From Stone Age to the modern industrialized world, nature has suffered most, and human are crossing the limit of carrying capacity of Earth. Volcanoes, Earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis, floods, raising sea levels, etc. are some examples of crossing capacity of nature. Environmental pollution, decrease in cultivation of crops, unseasonal rain and pandemic diseases are some warnings of nature. One cannot fully exercise his/her right regarding sex and reproduction. Health care facilities will be less prioritized relative to climate change. Also, most of the pregnancy related complications will ends at death within geographical territory due to unaccess to health services. This is closely related to ensuring the sexual and reproductive health services and right in the society.

Climate change is the biggest global health threat of the 21st century.

Countries in the developing world least responsible for the growing emissions are likely to experience the heaviest impact of climate change, with women bearing the greatest toll. In tandem with other factors, rapid population growth in these regions increases the scale of vulnerability to the consequences of climate change, for example, food and water scarcity, environmental degradation, and human displacement. Over 200 million women want, but currently lack, access to modern contraceptives. As a result, 76 million unintended pregnancies occur every year. Meeting this unmet need could slow high rates of population growth, thereby reducing demographic pressure on the environment. There is now an emerging debate and interest about the links between population dynamics, sexual and reproductive health and rights, and climate change. Among the debates between solutions to climate change, population control might not be the solution. This fact can be proved since; developed countries have only 20 percent of the world population cause 80 percent of the accumulated CO2 built-up in the atmosphere. As well, population control erodes reproductive rights, victimizes the displaced, and is no substitute for gender justice. Hence, climate change has both direct and indirect effects on the perception and behavior related to sexual and reproductive health and right.