The recent spate of floods arrived, and

stayed, like an unwanted guest…

Leaving rudely interrupted lives in its

wake…

These lives would want nothing more than to pick up the pieces of

their shattered lives and move on…

But hunger…thirst…and hopelessness

stand in the way of this hope…

Fortunately, the media…and civil

society have done much in this regard…

The continued arrival of aid brings with it renewed hope…

And the empathic reporting by many media agencies with presence in the

affected areas will make sure this steady stream of aid does not dry up…

However, where issues of survival have been adequately highlighted and addressed…The sexual health needs of 85% of the affectees, who are women and adolescents, have largely been ignored…

These women and adolescents who have already put up with so much, must now also put up with an increased exposure to sexual

health risks…

Most severe of which is the risk of sexual assault and exploitation,

and all such associated problems.

Pregnant and lactating mothers need special

nutritional supplements to preserve their own health and

the health of their babies…

Safe Delivery Kit

Women in labor require a sterile environment to give

birth…and safe delivery kits to reduce the risk of maternal

morbidity that is already very high in Pakistan…

Similarly, adolescents require sexuality counseling to mitigate the stress that is normally experienced during

puberty…

They also require age-appropriate advice on a number of concerning areas…

Such as how to protect themselves from unhealthy sexuality…and how take care of their body while

experiencing pubertal changes…

•Sadly, little has been done to highlight these key sexual health concerns…as appeals for relief items continue to dominate the airwaves.•On a broader level, this failure to highlight the sexual health needs of the affectees is reflective of our society’s reluctance to address important sexual health issues faced by the population…

How have we responded?

We have chosen to bury our heads in the sand

What is happening now?

• While 82 mothers die during childbirth, every day…

• And 5284 women are burnt, bludgeoned or suffocated to death every year, in the name of “honor”

• We are either unaware or unconcerned of the fact that for the majority of our youth puberty begins in panic…

• As they are continually denied age-appropriate information on how to deal with the emotional, psychological and physical changes that puberty brings along…

• And exploited by quacks that perpetuate age-old myths to drive the sales of their products…

What must be done?

• How long will we allow the current situation to prevail?

• When will we get up from whatever we are doing and decide that enough is enough?

• When will we realize that all our sexual health problems derive from ignorance and, more importantly, reluctance to openly discuss such issues?

• These questions cannot be answered in one day…

• However, the least we can do is to begin answering them as soon as possible…

• After all, the situation warrants it…

• The coming 4th of September will provide us with a perfect starting point for the promotion of healthy sexuality throughout Pakistan…

• Let us all make a difference in whatever way we can…and talk about the numerous sexual health problems that plague our existence…

Because talking about it can make a world of

difference…