SRHM Podcast

What does intimacy mean in a world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence?This discussion brings together critical perspectives on the rise of AI companions, chatbots and other technologies that promise connection, care and even love. While these systems are often framed as solutions to loneliness or social isolation, the conversation pushes beyond this narrative to examine the political, economic and ethical dimensions that underpin them.Moderator: Dr Zahra StardustSpeakers:Micaela MantegnaDianela GahnThis is a RightsCon session hosted by Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters (SRHM), in collaboration with the Queensland University of Technology (QUT), following the cancellation of RightsCon 2026.

During a time of authoritarianism, digital surveillance, and increasing criminalisation, this webinar explores how social media shadowbanning and deplatforming affect sexual health educators, sex workers, and other marginalised communities.By sharing both their experiences of censorship and their strategies of resistance, the speakers seek to prompt ongoing conversations across sectors, regions and communities about how to safeguard sexual health and sexual rights online.Moderator:Dr Zahra Stardust: Australian Research Council DECRA Fellow investigating how digital platforms can better protect sexual and reproductive rights online. Co-Chair of the World Association for Sexual Health’s Sexual Rights Committee and sits on the World Health Organisation’s Sexual Health and Wellbeing Advisory Group. Dr Zahra Stardust is also a member of SRHM's Editorial and Advisory Board. Speakers: Kali Sudhra: Executive Director at The European Sex Workers’ Rights Alliance Mar Diez: Cybersecurity & Privacy Legal Counsel and a digital rights advocate. Co-founder of Espacio Seguro LGBTQIA+ BurgosMaria Prendeville: Content marketing and email marketer for femtech, sex-positive and women's health brandsMartha Dimitratou: Founder and Executive Director of Repro UncensoredRead more on the blog at: https://www.srhm.org/news/sx-in-the-shadows-of-big-tech/

In this episode of the SRHM Podcast, Eszter Kismődi and Neil Datta, Executive Director and founder of the European Parliamentary Forum on Sexual and Reproductive Rights (EPF), take a deep dive into the evolving landscape of anti-gender and anti-rights movements, drawing on new analysis from the European Parliamentary Forum (EPF). What emerges is a picture of a highly coordinated, well-funded and increasingly sophisticated ecosystem that operates across multiple domains, reshaping not only sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), but also wider democratic systems.Read more at srhm.org.Read the full report, 'The Next Wave: How Religious Extremism Is Regaining Power' here: https://www.epfweb.org/node/1147

In this episode of the SRHM Podcast, Eszter Kismődi is joined by Sarah Malaba, Co-CEO of Tiko, to explore how smarter, more equitable health financing can transform the lives of adolescent girls across Sub-Saharan Africa, and why this is fundamentally a question of economic justice.At the centre of the discussion is the “triple threat” of unintended pregnancy, new HIV infections, and sexual violence, three interconnected challenges that not only shape health outcomes but also systematically limit girls’ educational attainment, economic participation and future earning potential. When these risks go unaddressed, they reinforce cycles of poverty and inequality, undermining both individual rights and broader economic development.Drawing on insights from recent global and regional convenings, including the World Health Summit and the RHNK conference, the episode calls for a shift away from high-level commitments towards practical, adequately funded, girl-centred solutions. It highlights the urgent need for governments to move beyond donor dependency and prioritise domestic investment in adolescent girls as a distinct and critical population.The conversation unpacks the concept of the “girl dividend”, emphasising that it cannot be realised without redistributive policies, sustained public investment, and accountability for delivering integrated, stigma-free services. Investing in girls is not only about improving health outcomes, it is about enabling girls to stay in school, access decent work, exercise bodily autonomy, and participate fully in economic and social life.With a strong emphasis on youth participation, real-time data, and multi-sectoral approaches, this episode offers a clear call to action: to centre adolescent girls in policy design and financing decisions, and to recognise that achieving sexual and reproductive health and rights is inseparable from advancing economic justice.

A recent Court of Appeal decision in Kenya has generated concern among healthcare providers, reproductive justice advocates and human rights movements in Kenya and beyond. The ruling overturned elements of a landmark High Court decision and reinstated criminal proceedings involving a young woman and a healthcare provider after emergency post-abortion care was sought.In this episode of the SRHM Podcast, Eszter Kismodi is joined by Martin Onyango, Associate Director for Legal Strategies at the Center for Reproductive Rights; Ruth Mumbi, Human Rights Defender and Executive Director of Women Collective Kenya; and Nelly Munyasia, Executive Director of Reproductive Health Network Kenya.Together they unpack the legal, public health and human rights dimensions of the ruling and discuss: What the Court of Appeal decided and why it matters The distinction between abortion and post-abortion care under Kenyan law How legal uncertainty and criminalization affect healthcare provision The disproportionate impact on women and girls in marginalized communities The role of misinformation, stigma and anti-rights narratives Legal and movement strategies as advocates prepare for a Supreme Court appealThe conversation also places the case in a wider global context, exploring ongoing struggles around sexual and reproductive justice, bodily autonomy and access to rights-based healthcare.

A SRHM Podcast conversation with Lizzie Kiama and Tara Mukeku-Cilolo for World Menstrual Health Day.Disability rights advocate Lizzie Kiama of This Ability Trust Kenya and Tara Mukeku-Cilolo of Fòs Feminista joined Eszter Kismodi of SRHM for a special podcast exploring how menstrual health intersects with inequality, disability justice, public policy, and community care.

In partnership with the University of the Western Cape School of Public Health, SRHM is excited to launch a call for proposals for a themed issue on Queering Health Systems.Shaped by a dynamic online consultation with organisations and experts across the field, this issue aims to spark bold, critical conversations and fresh perspectives on health policies and systems.In this episode, we connect directly with the editorial team and Guest Editors and get everything you need to submit with confidence.Whether you are an experienced researcher, practitioner, or emerging voice, this is your chance to contribute to a timely and important conversation.Read the full call for proposals here

In this episode, Laura Ferguson is joined by Angela Baschieri and Martina Yopo Diaz to discuss the critical links between climate change and sexual and reproductive health and rights. From disrupted reproductive healthcare and climate-related displacement to eco-anxiety and changing fertility decisions, the conversation highlights how the climate crisis is deeply affecting reproductive lives worldwide.The episode also explores gaps in global policy frameworks, the unfinished agenda of the ICPD Programme of Action, and why equity, human rights, and meaningful participation must remain at the centre of climate action.A thoughtful discussion on justice, sustainability, and the future of reproductive rights in a changing world.Read From conception to care: a systematic review of the impact of the climate crisis on reproductive justiceby Martina Yopo Díaz, Valentina Gómez Aguirre and Loreto Watkins, published in Sexual and Reproductive Health MattersRead International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) Programme of Action and climate action: an intersecting agenda by Angela Baschieri and Chiagozie Udeh, published in Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters

In this SRHM podcast episode, Eszter Kismődi speaks with three outstanding leaders and experts working at the intersection of digital rights and sexual and reproductive justice. We were honoured to have Dr. Zahra Stardust, researcher at Queensland University of Technology’s Digital Media Research Centre; Martha Dimitratou, founder and Executive Director of Repro Uncensored; and Kali Sudhra, Executive Director of ESWA, European Sex Workers’ Rights Alliance, on the podcast to reflect on what happened behind the cancellation of RightsCon 2026 and why this matters profoundly for sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), digital justice, and democratic participation globally.Read the blog by Dr. Zahra Stardust 'Defending Sexual and Reproductive Rights in the Aftermath of the RightsCon Cancellation' at srhm.org.

What does justice look like beyond policing, prosecution, and prisons?In the latest SRHM Podcast, Eszter Kismődi speaks with Subha Wijesiriwardena and Susana T. Fried of Just Futures Collaborative about their new global campaign, Justice beyond Jails — an initiative rethinking responses to gender-based violence through rights-based, community-grounded approaches to safety and accountability.The episode explores the campaign’s innovative interactive storytelling tool, cross-movement collaborations, and why feminist and human rights movements are increasingly questioning criminalisation as the default response to violence.See the campaign at www.justfuturescollaborative.com/justice-beyond-jails

In this episode, we hear personal and professional reflections from Eszter Kismődi, Hungarian Citizen, International Human Rights Lawyer and Chief Executive of SRHM.Just hours after the elections results were announced, Eszter hosts a series of conversations bringing together legal, generational, and civic perspectives on this political moment and its implications for democracy, human rights, and public institutions.

In this episode of the Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters (SRHM) Podcast, Eszter Kismődi speaks with Stéphanie Hennette-Vauchez, Professor of Public Law at Université Paris Nanterre and Senior Member of the Institut universitaire de France, about France’s landmark 2024 constitutional reform recognising abortion as a “guaranteed freedom,” as well as the subsequent December 2025 law acknowledging the harms caused by the criminalisation of abortion prior to 1975.

In this episode of the SRHM podcast, Eszter Kismődi, Chief Executive of SRHM, speaks with Professor Gita Sen, a globally recognised feminist economist from India whose work has been instrumental in shaping global debates linking gender equality, development justice, and SRHR.The conversation highlights both why it is timely and necessary to reconnect SRHR with development justice in the current global political moment, and the launch of the Global South Coalition for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights and Development Justice.Find out more about the Global South Coalition and the launch event on 31 March 2026 at srhrdevelopmentjustice.org

This episode of the SRHM Podcast brings together leading experts to explore the intersections between environmental justice and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), in the context of the 70th session of the Commission on the Status of Women.Opening and closing remarks are delivered by Thoại D. Ngô, Harriet and Robert H. Heilbrunn Professor and Chair of the Heilbrunn Department of Population and Family Health at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. The discussion is moderated by Eszter Kismődi, Chief Executive of Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters.Speakers include Aleya Khalifa (Columbia University), Allan Achesa Maleche (Kenya Legal & Ethical Issues Network on HIV & AIDS), Neha Mankani (International Confederation of Midwives), Sai Jyothirmai Racherla (Asian-Pacific Resource and Research Centre for Women), and Marta Schaaf (Amnesty International).The episode examines how climate change, extractivism, land dispossession, and unequal resource governance intersect with economic inequality to shape SRHR outcomes, particularly for women and girls. It highlights accountability gaps and structural barriers to justice, while pointing to evidence-based, rights-driven pathways that advance equality, sustainability, and community wellbeing.

Who produces knowledge on gender and sexual and reproductive health in Africa, and whose voices shape the evidence that informs policy and practice?In this episode of the SRHM Podcast, Sapna Desai, Editor-in-Chief of the SRHM Journal, speaks with researchers Woldekidan Amde and Kéfilath Bello about their recent scoping review examining authorship, geography, and funding in research on gender approaches to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) across Africa.Analysing 45 publications from 2012 to 2022, the study reveals striking imbalances. Most first and senior authors were based outside Africa, funding overwhelmingly came from high income countries, and over one fifth of papers had no local authors at all. These patterns raise critical questions about power in knowledge production, the credibility and relevance of research, and the ability of evidence to influence policy and practice locally.The conversation explores why these inequities persist despite growing calls to decolonise global health. It also looks at what must change: strengthening local research ecosystems, expanding mentoring for early career researchers, supporting south–south collaboration, and ensuring equitable funding and authorship practices.Together, the speakers reflect on how more locally led, contextually grounded research is essential not only for equity, but for better quality knowledge and meaningful change in sexual and reproductive health.Read the full paper, 'Imbalances in authorship, geographic and institutional contexts, and funding sources in research on gender approaches to sexual and reproductive health in Africa: a scoping review' by Woldekidan Amde, Kéfilath Bello, Tanya Jacobs, TK Sundari Ravindran & Asha S. George at srhmjournal.org.

In this episode of the Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters Podcast, Eszter Kismődi speaks with Dr Shirin Heidari and Professor Monica A. Onyango about their multi-country study, Survival Strategies and Health Repercussions in Forced Displacement. Drawing on research conducted between 2021 and 2024 in Jordan, Lebanon, Türkiye, Greece and Switzerland, they examine how transactional sex emerges within conditions of legal precarity, restricted asylum regimes, housing insecurity and limited access to work and services. The conversation challenges binary notions of “choice” and “force”, highlights intersecting health consequences including sexual and reproductive health outcomes, and calls for integrated, rights-based responses grounded in lived realities.Read the full paper at srhmjournal.org.

This Valentine’s Day and World Condom Day, SRHM turns to pleasure.In this episode, we spotlight the editorial of SRHM’s Pleasure Collection developed in collaboration with The Pleasure Project and Agents of Ishq.Too often, sexual and reproductive health and rights are framed only through risk, prevention and harm. This editorial invites us to think differently. It calls for a politics of pleasure that is decolonial, grounded in lived experience, and willing to challenge hierarchies about who produces knowledge and what counts as credible.Marking 13 and 14 February, we also highlight a clear message backed by evidence: when pleasure is centred, condom use increases. Pleasure and protection belong together.Featuring a reading by Anne Philpott and Elena Ascione from The Pleasure Project, this episode is also an open invitation. Send us your love letters. Send your papers, blogs, poetry, podcast ideas, art, as we celebrate sexual pleasure as a key aspect of sexual and reproductive health and rights for all. Because pleasure is progress. Pleasure matters.Useful links:Read the editorial, 'Finding the cosmos of intimacies: where pleasurable safe sex dances with liberation' by Anne Phihlpott and Paromita Vohra at srhmjournal.org.Explore the Pleasure Collection of the SRHM Journal at srhm.org.

On 9 September 2025, SRHM hosted a thought-provoking webinar to launch the open-access book Female Genital Mutilation in Africa: Politics of Criminalisation, edited by Satang Nabaneh, Assistant Professor of Practice at the University of Dayton Human Rights Center, and affiliated faculty at the Center for Human Rights, University of Pretoria.Introduced by Eszter Kismödi, Chief Executive of SRHM, the event brought together contributing authors to reflect on the complex and evolving debates around FGM in Africa, particularly the role and limits of criminalization.Speakers:Satang Nabaneh (Moderator) - Beyond legislation: Examining the efficacy of criminalisation of female genital mutilation in AfricaAngela J Dawson - Research and female genital mutilation prevention: Evidence from AfricaSamuel Kimani - Medicalisation of female genital mutilation/cutting: Ethical dimensionsLaura Nyirinkindi - A case commentary on law and advocacy for women in Uganda v the Attorney General: Exploring the legal steps taken in abolishing the practice of female genital mutilation and challenges with implementing the decisionThis episode is being re-released on the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation 2026.

In a new episode of the Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters (SRHM) podcast, SRHM convenes leading experts and advocates to unpack the implications of three newly issued U.S. foreign assistance rules and what they mean for sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) worldwide.To explore the nature, scope, and consequences of these rules, SRHM Chief Executive, Eszter Kismődi, is joined by Elizabeth Sully, Director of International Research at the Guttmacher Institute; Amy Friedrich-Karnik, Director of Federal Policy at the Guttmacher Institute; and Mina Barling, Director of External Relations at the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF).Together, they bring complementary perspectives spanning policy analysis, evidence generation, and frontline service delivery and advocacy.

Eszter Kismodi, Chief Executive of SRHM, is joined by Allan Maleche (KELIN), Mercy Kalemela and Audrey Bigeti (Girls to Women Kenya) to explore how extractive industries are reshaping land, power and sexual and reproductive health and rights in Kenya.Focusing on gold mining in Kakamega County, the episode examines land dispossession, mercury exposure, gender-based violence and the everyday health risks faced by women and girls, while situating these harms within a broader global pattern of extractivism.A timely conversation on development, justice and why SRHR must be central to debates on land and resource extraction.

At a time when sexual and reproductive health and rights are under renewed political and ideological attack globally, African researchers and advocates are strengthening their collective voice and leadership on abortion. In this SRHM Podcast episode, Eszter Kismődi spokewith Naa Dodoo, Ramatou Ouedraogo and Béniel Agossou about the work of ACORCA – the African Coalition for Research, Communication and Abortion and itsvision for an Africa where every woman and girl can access safe, high-quality abortion services without stigma or fear.

On World Contraception Day, SRHM, in partnership with The Pleasure Project and WHO, hosted a powerful webinar launching a landmark systematic review: Sex, Satisfaction, and Switching: The Questions Contraceptive Research and Implementation Forgot to Ask.This review provides the first systematic evidence on the extent to which sex life concerns influence contraceptive discontinuation and switching.Key findings highlight that 1 in 20 contraceptive users discontinue while still in need due to the impact on their sex life. This rivals other commonly cited reasons such as cost and access, yet is rarely considered in counselling, research or policy. The review also shows just how little sexual acceptability has been studied in relation to contraceptive use – underscoring the urgent need to bring pleasure, intimacy and lived experience into sexual and reproductive health (SRH) research and practice.Speakers included: Welcome by Sapna Desai | Editor-in-Chief, Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters (SRHM)Introductory poem by Theresa Mae Caragan | Youth Advisor, Plan International PilipinasDr Lianne Gonsalves | Scientist, Human Reproduction Special Programme (HRP), World Health Organization (WHO)Dr Faysal El Kak | President, World Association of Sexual Health and Director of the Women Integrated Sexual Health (WISH) Program Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, American University of Beirut Medical CenterDr Samukeliso Dube | Executive Director, FP2030Moderated by Anne Philpott | Founder, The Pleasure ProjectThe contributions from the research team, global advocates and practitioners, as well as youth voices and poetry reminded us that pleasure is not a luxury, but a right tied to dignity, safety and self-worth.Speakers called for urgent action to:Make pleasure a priority in the global SRHR agenda.Ask users directly about how methods affect their sex lives.Normalise positive framing of contraception as enabling safe and pleasurable sex.This research represents a crucial step toward humanising contraceptive delivery, challenging over-medicalised narratives, and designing SRHR services that reflect people’s realities.Read the full paper, 'The sex effect: the prevalence of sex life reasons for contraceptive discontinuation. A systematic review and meta-analysis' at srhmjournal.org.

In this episode of the SRHM Podcast, SRHM Chief Executive Eszter Kismodi speaks with Allan Maleche, Executive Director of KELIN Kenya, and Jerop Limo, Executive Director of the Ambassadors for Youth and Adolescent Reproductive Health Programme (AYARHEP). Together, they discuss a groundbreaking case before the High Court of Kenya, which challenged the country’s National Reproductive Health Policy (2022–2032) for being discriminatory and unconstitutional. The conversation explores how this ruling — a partial but significant victory — advances reproductive rights, upholds the Maputo Protocol and Kenya’s Constitution, and reinforces the power of youth and civil society in shaping rights-based policy. Allan and Jerop reflect on the implications for access to SRHR services, bodily autonomy, and inclusion, and share what’s next for advocacy, policy reform, and accountability in Kenya.

How should science shape laws and policies on reproductive health? What happens when ideology overrides evidence in decisions about IVF, abortion and reproductive autonomy? And why is the right to science a critical yet overlooked human right?In this thought-provoking episode of the SRHM Podcast, host Eszter Kismődi speaks with four authors of a groundbreaking SRHM paper: The right to science in sexual and reproductive health and the legal status of the human embryo. Guests Professor Silke Dyer, Professor Alison Edelman, Professor Joanna Erdman and Professor Asha George explore how scientific progress, human rights and law intersect in debates on the status of the human embryo—and the consequences for people seeking fertility and abortion care around the world.Together they discuss:Why personhood laws rooted in ideology threaten reproductive rights and public healthHow misinformation shapes policy and restricts evidence-based careThe right to enjoy the benefits of scientific progress as a human rightThe importance of cross-disciplinary collaboration for sexual and reproductive justiceThis episode is essential listening for anyone working in global health, human rights, law, public policy, advocacy or SRHR research.👉 Read the full article, open-access, at srhmjournal.org👉 Join the conversation ahead of Human Rights Day on the future of the right to science in SRHR.

On 8 October 2025, Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters (SRHM) co-hosted a global webinar titled “Surrogacy as a Matter of Sexual and Reproductive Justice” in partnership with the Just Futures Collaborative, Center for Reproductive Rights, Initiative for Strategic Litigation in Africa (ISLA), and the Leitner Center for International Law and Justice.This event situated surrogacy within the wider framework of sexual and reproductive justice, human rights, and bodily autonomy.The webinar explored human-rights approaches to surrogacy, the effects of criminalization and prohibition, and evidence-informed regulatory and feminist perspectives. The discussion showed how surrogacy can be grounded in autonomy, dignity, equality, and protection from exploitation.Guided by an intersectional lens, the webinar examined how gender, sexuality, race, class, religion, migration, economic inequality, and labour rights shape surrogacy. Participants also considered evidence on how restrictive frameworks undermine rights and discuss strategies for coalition-building and advocacy across movements.SpeakersSarojini Nadimpally | Co-founder of Sama Resource Group for Women and HealthEng Chandy | Executive Director of Gender and Development for Cambodia (GADC)Verónica Esparza | Research Coordinator, Grupo de Información en Reproducción Elegida (GIRE)Nerima Were | Legal Director at The Initiative for Strategic Litigation in Africa (ISLA)Subha Wijesiriwardena | Co-director of Just Futures CollaborativeModerator:Eszter Kismodi | Chief Executive of Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters

On 9 September 2025, SRHM hosted a thought-provoking webinar to launch the open-access book Female Genital Mutilation in Africa: Politics of Criminalisation, edited by Satang Nabaneh, Assistant Professor of Practice at the University of Dayton Human Rights Center, and affiliated faculty at the Center for Human Rights, University of Pretoria. Introduced by Eszter Kismödi, Chief Executive of SRHM, the event brought together contributing authors to reflect on the complex and evolving debates around FGM in Africa, particularly the role and limits of criminalization.Speakers:Satang Nabaneh (Moderator) - Beyond legislation: Examining the efficacy of criminalisation of female genital mutilation in AfricaAngela J Dawson - Research and female genital mutilation prevention: Evidence from AfricaSamuel Kimani - Medicalisation of female genital mutilation/cutting: Ethical dimensionsLaura Nyirinkindi - A case commentary on law and advocacy for women in Uganda v the Attorney General: Exploring the legal steps taken in abolishing the practice of female genital mutilation and challenges with implementing the decision

In this episode of the SRHM Podcast, host Eszter Kismödi speaks with Katie Mayall, Laurenne Ajayi, and Caitlin Gruer—authors of the article Global progress in abortion law reform: a comparative legal analysis since the International Conference on Population and Development. Together, they unpack three decades of global shifts in abortion law, drawing on unique legal mapping by the Center for Reproductive Rights.The conversation explores key findings, including the surge of countries adopting abortion on request in recent years, the influence of feminist and intersectional movements, and the role of courts and constitutions in shaping access. The guests also discuss regional patterns, from the momentum of Latin America’s “green wave” to restrictive backlashes in places like the US, Poland and Nicaragua.As they highlight, while more than 825 million women of reproductive age now live in countries that have liberalised their laws since ICPD, one in four still live under highly restrictive regimes. The episode closes with a reflection on both the progress to celebrate and the urgent need for vigilance, coalition-building, and a vision of true reproductive autonomy where abortion is not only legal, but fully accessible as a human right.Useful links:Read the full paper: Global progress in abortion law reform: a comparative legal analysis since the International Conference on Population and Development (1994–2023) at srhmjournal.org. See our call for papers on 'Ensuring access to abortion as a matter of rights, equity and justice' at srhm.org/call-for-papers

In this episode, SRHM Chief Executive Eszter Kismödi speaks with Dr Faysal El Kak, Associate Professor at the American University of Beirut and newly elected President of the World Association for Sexual Health (WAS). Against a backdrop of global political and economic turbulence, Dr El Kak reflects on the pressing challenges and emerging opportunities for sexual health worldwide—from rising anti-rights movements and economic pressures to bold youth activism and growing intersectional approaches.He shares his vision of WAS as a powerful convening force, uniting organisations, agencies, and advocates to protect and promote sexual health, dignity, and rights across the life course. The conversation also previews the upcoming World Sexual Health Assembly in Porto, set to bring together major international players to shape a collective roadmap for the next five years.

In this episode of the SRHM Podcast, we explore how people in Kenya are accessing safe abortion care online in the face of restrictive laws and limited health system support. Host Julia Hussein is joined by researchers Kenneth Juma (APHRC), Hazal Atay (Women on Web/Sciences Po), and Céline Miani (Bielefeld University) to discuss their study analysing nearly 900 telehealth abortion consultations via Women on Web between 2013 and 2019.The conversation dives into who is using these services, why they turn to teleabortion, and how this mode of care fits within broader frameworks of self-care and reproductive rights. Recorded during #SelfCareMonth, this episode highlights the power of self-managed abortion as both a health intervention and a means of reproductive autonomy.Useful links:Read the full paper, 'Telehealth abortion services via Women on Web in Kenya (2013–2019): a descriptive analysis of the characteristics and motivations of the care seekers' at srhmjournal.orgCall for papers on ensuring access to abortion as a matter of rights, equity and justice' at srhm.org. More papers on SRHR and self-care on the SRHM Blog

In this episode, re-released from August 2024 for World IVF Day 2025, Nina Sun, the Associated Editor of the SRHM journal, speaks to Trudie Gerrits and Andrea Whittaker, the authors of a recently published paper: Assisted reproductive technologies in sub-Saharan Africa: fertility professionals' views.Andrea is a Professor of Anthropology at the School of Social Sciences at Monash University. Trudie is an Associate Professor at the Amsterdam Institute for Social Science Research at the University of Amsterdam. Trudie and Andrea talk about their study, which involved semi-structured interviews with fertility specialists and embryologists from six sub-Saharan countries, and was funded by the Australian Government through the Australian Research Council. Specifically, they speak to the rationale or gap in knowledge behind this study, the implications of the findings, and ways to increase access to low-cost yet effective assisted reproductive technologies to address infertility in sub-Saharan Africa.Useful links:Read the full paper 'Access to assisted reproductive technologies in sub-Saharan Africa: fertility professionals’ views' at srhmjournal.org. See SRHM's call for papers: www.srhm.org/call-for-papers

In this episode, host Nina Sun is joined by Dana Johnson, lead author of a new SRHM study exploring the acceptability of misoprostol-only medication abortion accessed via mail-order or retail pharmacies in the United States. As abortion access is increasingly restricted across the country, many people are turning to self-managed care options—including medication abortion outside of traditional clinical settings.Drawing on in-depth interviews, the conversation highlights how people experience and navigate this method of abortion, with attention to the legal, emotional, and logistical factors shaping their decisions. Special focus is given to the distinct needs of adolescents, who often face additional barriers to care and support.The episode also ties into SRHM’s ongoing call for papers on abortion as a matter of rights, equity and justice, open until 31 August 2025.Useful links:Read the full research article: Acceptability of misoprostol-only medication abortion dispensed by mail-order or retail pharmacy: a qualitative study based on in-depth interviews in the United States at srhmjournal.orgCall for Papers: Ensuring access to abortion as a matter of rights, equity and justice at srhm.org

In this powerful conversation, host and SRHM Editorial Board member Laura Ferguson is joined by reproductive justice scholars Cordelia Freeman and Hala Shoman, authors of “No Justice in a Genocide”, to explore the devastating impact of war on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in Gaza.They speak about:— What’s happening to SRH services under siege— Why reproductive justice is a critical framework— The barriers to speaking truthfully in academia— What a rights-based response could look like—even now— What sustains their work, and what gives them hopeUseful links:No justice in a genocide: Sexual and reproductive health and rights in Gaza at srhmjournal.org'Sexual and reproductive health and rights in Palestine – securing spaces to speak out', by Laura Ferguson and Sapna Desai at srhmjournal.org

What does abortion access really look like in Ireland—before and after legal reform? In this powerful episode of the SRHM Podcast, host Mindy Jane Roseman is joined by three leading researchers—Niamh Skelly, Dyuti Chakravarty, and Lorraine Grimes—whose work reveals the lived realities behind Ireland’s evolving abortion landscape.From the emotional weight of unspoken stories in pre-liberalisation Ireland to the persistent gatekeeping and policy gaps today, this conversation unpacks how legal change alone doesn’t guarantee meaningful access. The episode also offers vital lessons for countries undergoing or anticipating abortion law reform, while highlighting how research can drive action, advocacy, and justice.Tune in for evidence, insight, and hope in the fight for reproductive rights.Useful links: Read the full paper, 'Staying in a punishing place: online narratives about pregnancy and abortion in pre-liberalisation Ireland' by Niamh Skelly at srhmjournal.org.Read the full paper, 'Restrictive points of entry into abortion care in Ireland: a qualitative study of expectations and experiences with the service' by Dyuti Chakravarty, Joanna Mishtal, Lorraine Grimes, et al. at srhmjournal.org.

Dans ce premier épisode du podcast du Hub Afrique francophone de SRHM, fondé en 2019, Bouchra Assarag et Vincent De Brouwere accueillent Vanessa Dossi Sekpon, autrice d’une étude percutante sur les normes sociales autour de l’avortement chez les jeunes femmes au Bénin. Ensemble, ils explorent les pressions normatives, les dynamiques familiales, et les enjeux d’accès à l’avortement sécurisé dans un contexte légal et social complexe.English:In this first episode of the SRHM Francophone Africa Hub podcast, founded in 2019, Bouchra Assarag and Vincent De Brouwere speak with Vanessa Dossi Sekpon, author of a powerful study on social norms surrounding abortion among young women in Benin. Together, they delve into normative pressures, family dynamics, and the challenges of accessing safe abortion in a complex legal and social context.Useful links:Read the full paper in French: Éloigne cette honte de moi! »: une étude qualitative des normes sociales entourant les expériences d’avortement chez les adolescentes et jeunes femmes au Bénin, also at srhmjournal.orgSRHM Francophone Hub: https://www.srhm.org/francophone-africa-regional-hub/SRHM Call for Papers: Ensuring access to abortion as a matter of rights, equity and justice: https://www.srhm.org/call-for-papers-abortion/

In this episode of the SRHM Podcast, SRHM Advcocacy and External Relations Manager, Lisa Welsh, speaks with Lore Remmerie, Nicole Leonetti and Aslan Temirkhanov — co-authors of a new research article in Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters — about reimagining how we define and support sexual well-being among young people. Together, they present a youth-centred, culturally sensitive framework that challenges dominant narratives and power structures in sexual and reproductive health. The conversation highlights the importance of inclusion, subjectivity, and systemic awareness in shaping meaningful policies and programmes. A must-listen for researchers, policymakers, educators and youth advocates alike.Read the full open access article at srhmjournal.org.

In this episode, SRHM Chief Executive, Eszter Kismodi, speaks to Gustavo Ortiz Millán, Editor in Chief of the recently launched journal 'Bioética UNAM', an academic journal publishing in bioethics, including in SRHR, from UNAM University, Mexico. The UNAM Bioethics journal , published by the UNAM Bioethics University Program, is dedicated to communicating the results of research related to this discipline at the national and international levels.UNAM Bioethics publishes content addressing the ethics of topics in the biomedical and biological sciences, environmental issues, and our relationship with animals. It also publishes texts with cutting-edge analyses (decolonial, feminist, and sexual diversity approaches, among others) of ethical, legal, political, and artistic issues affecting areas of bioethical interest, as well as fundamental concepts, principles, and theories on these topics.It is aimed at individuals dedicated to research, teaching, and dissemination of bioethics, as well as researchers beginning their academic careers. Articles are published in Spanish and English. Useful linksBioética UNAM, available open-access: https://revista.bioetica.unam.mx/index.php/pubBioethics programme at UNAM: https://www.bioetica.unam.mx/

In this episode, Eszter Kismodi, Chief Executive of SRHM, speaks to Nelly Munyasia and Edison Omollo from the Reproductive Health Network Keyna (RHNK) about the upcoming 8th Pan-African Adolescent and Youth SRHR Scientific Conference on 24th - 27th June 2025 in Mombasa, Kenya. It is still possible to register for the conference and organize side events or panels until 31 May. We encourage the SRHM community to follow the developments from this important Pan-African Conference. Useful linksFind out more about the conference: https://rhnk.org/conference

In this episode, Emma Pitchforth, Executive Editor of the SRHM Journal, speaks to three of the authors of the recently published paper, Barriers and facilitators of participation in syphilis vaccine trials: a qualitative analysis to inform trial design and community engagement in the United States.We hear from Suzanne Day, Joseph Tucker and Justin Radolf about the long shadow of the Tuskegee Syphilis Study, recommendations for engaging marginalized populations in syphalis vaccine trials and insights into meaningful community engagement. 

In this episode we hear from Sundari Ravindran, Senior Editor of Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters (SRHM) Journal and Emma Pitchforth, Executive Editor of the SRHM Journal.They introduce our newest call for papers — one that focuses on a topic as urgent as ever: ensuring access to abortion as a matter of rights, equity and justice. This call builds on the legacy of SRHM but also responds to the current moment. This episode is a chance for us to share more about the thinking behind the call, what we’re hoping to achieve, and how you can be involved. Whether you’re a researcher, activist, advocate, or someone working in service delivery, we invite you to contribute to this important collection.Read the full call for papers at srhm.org.

This episode of the SRHM Podcast is an audio recording of the paper, 'Educating ideal neoliberal citizens: discourses of agency and responsibility in comprehensive sexuality education' read by the author, Sarah Lewinger, and published in the SRHM Journal in October 2023. This paper includes an initial review of Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) interventions in the global south and a call to action to reimagine CSE as transformative praxis, "which does not teach students to individually aspire to sexual “respectability” but to demand structural change to ensure more equitable sexual health for all". Please note that references, citations and tables have been removed from this audio recording for ease of listening. Useful links:Read the full paper: Educating ideal neoliberal citizens: discourses of agency and responsibility in comprehensive sexuality education by Sarah Lewinger at srhmjournal.orgSubmit a paper to the SRHM Journal: https://www.srhm.org/call-for-papers/

In this episode, we explore the urgent impact of HIV funding cuts on trans health—and the ripple effects beyond. We hear from three advocates working at the frontlines of trans health and rights across the globe.Joining us are:Anil Padavatan (he/she), Health Lead at Global Action for Trans Equality, based in South Africa.Amanita Calderón-Cifuentes (she/her), HIV Research and Advocacy Officer at Trans Europe and Central Asia, based in Germany.Adrian King Kibe (he/him), Programme Consultant at East Africa Trans Health & Advocacy Network, based in Kenya.Together, they share insights from their work, reflect on the consequences of recent cuts to HIV resources, and highlight what’s needed to ensure sustainable, trans-led responses moving forward.Useful links:Global Action for Trans Equality (GATE) Innovation Lab: https://gate.ngo/knowledge-portal/news/open-letter-gate-innovation-lab/Trans Europe and Central Asia (TGEU): www.tgeu.orgEast Africa Trans Health & Advocacy Network (EATHAN): https://eathan.org/

Welcome to another thought-provoking episode of the Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters podcast! Today, we’re diving into a fascinating study published in the SRHM Journal titled “Attitudes toward sexual and reproductive health and rights and their associations with reproductive agency: a population-based cross-sectional study in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Zimbabwe.”Joining us to discuss this important research is Karin Båge, a Phd Student at the Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. Useful links:Read the full paper: Attitudes toward sexual and reproductive health and rights and their associations with reproductive agency: a population-based cross-sectional study in Ethiopia, Kenya, and ZimbabweInstructions for authorsSRHM Call for Papers

In this episode, we’re tackling a pressing issue: the maternal health disparities faced by Black and Latine women—and how systemic barriers within healthcare contribute to these inequities.We’re honored to have two special guests with us today, Lucia Guerra-Reyes, Associate Professor, and Ruhun Wasata, a PhD Candidate in Health Behaviour, both at the Department of Applied Health Science, School of Public Health, Indiana University Bloomington. We talk to these authors of a compelling new study published in the SRHM Journal: Provider Perspectives on Maternal Care Challenges for Black and Latine Women in Indiana. Useful links:Read the full paper at srhmjournal.org: Provider perspectives on maternal care challenges for Black and Latine women in Indiana: a qualitative interview studyInstructions for authors to publish in the SRHM JournalMore papers about maternal health from the SRHM Journal: https://www.srhm.org/key-topics/

In this episode, we explore a groundbreaking study titled "Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on access to sexual and reproductive health services for women and gender-diverse people with disabilities in Canada: a qualitative study." published in the SRHM Journal. Joining us are Meredith Evans, Medical Anthropologist and Postdoctoral Research Fellow and Keat Welsh, Peer Researcher and disabled Artist, Activist and Educator, both in the Department of Health and Society at the University of Toronto Scarborough.Useful links:Full paper at srhmjournal.org: Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on access to sexual and reproductive health services for women and gender-diverse people with disabilities in Canada: a qualitative study.More SRHM papers related to disability: https://www.srhm.org/key-topics/Instructions for authorsCall for PapersFind out more about Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters at srhm.org

We’re back with another important conversation that demands attention. Today, we’re diving into acrucial yet often overlooked issue: post-partumobstetric violence—and how the pharmaceuticalization of post-partum depression treatment might be contributing to it.We’re honored to have two brilliant guests with us, the authors of a compelling new commentary in the SRHM Journal: Alicia Ely Yamin – Lecturer on Law at Harvard Law School and Adjunct Senior Lecturer on Health Policy and Management at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Lisa Cosgrove – Clinical Psychologist and Professor at the University of Massachusetts, Boston and Faculty fellow at UMas Boston’s Applied Ethics Centre. Useful links: Commentary: Extending the concept of “obstetric violence” to post-partum experiences: cautions regarding the “first ever” pill for post-partum depressionSRHM Call for Papers Instructions for authors to publish in the SRHM JournalSRHM Blog

On Tuesday 25 February 2025, Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters (SRHM) hosted an insightful webinar where we discussed the global impact of the Trump Administration’s Executive Orders on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR).The webinar brought together global experts to discuss the far-reaching consequences of the Trump Administration’s Executive Orders on SRHR. The discussion highlighted the devastating impact of funding freezes, restrictive policies, and ideological attacks on sexual and reproductive healthcare, LGBTQ+ rights, and global health programmes.ModeratorEszter KismődiChief Executive, Sexual and Reproductive Health MattersPanellists: Mindy Jane RosemanDirector of International Law Programs and Director of the Gruber Program for Global Justice and Women’s RightsYale Law SchoolSRHM Associate EditorOnikepe OwolabiDirector of International ResearchGuttmacher InstituteAnand TamangDirectorCenter for Research on Environment Health and Population Activities (CREHPA)Alice M. MillerProfessor in the Practice, Yale School of Public Health; Associate Professor (adjunct) Yale Law School; co-Director, Global Health Justice Partnership of the Yale Law and Public Health SchoolsErika CastellanosExecutive DirectorGlobal Action for Trans Equality (GATE)Allan MalecheExecutive DirectorKenya Legal and Ethical Issues Network (KELIN)SRHM Editorial and Advisory Board MemberLuisa CabalDirector, Regional Support Team for Latin America and the CaribbeanUNAIDSSRHM Editorial and Advisory Board MemberUseful links:Watch the recording of the webinar SRHM Instructions for Authors SRHM Call for Papers

In this episode we have the privilege of hosting a crucial conversation with the authors of a thought-provoking new commentary published in the SRHM Journal: Lessons from Kenya on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Policy-Making: The Need to Centre Voices from Africa in Global Discourses.Joining us are three powerhouse leaders in the SRHR space—Evelyn Opondo, Africa Regional Director at the International Center for Research on Women; Jade Maina, Executive Director of the Trust for Indigenous Culture and Health; and Nelly Munyasia, Executive Director of the Reproductive Health Network Kenya—all joining us from Nairobi.The podcast discusses the importance of centering African voices in global sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) policy-making. It highlights insights from a commentary on Kenya’s SRHR landscape, particularly in response to the rising global anti-rights movement. Useful links: Full commentary: Lessons from Kenya on sexual reproductive health and rights policy-making: the need to centre voices from Africa in global discoursesSRHM Journal page: srhmjournal.orgSRHM Call for Papers

In this episode, SRHM Associate Editor Nina Sun sits down with SRHM Journal Executive Editor, Emma Pitchforth, to discuss the key highlights from the 2024 Open Issue of the Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters Journal. They dive into special collections focusing on sexual pleasure and abortion rights, explore the current call for papers on sexual pleasure, war, and armed conflict, and preview an upcoming call for papers related to abortion rights. Tune in for a thoughtful conversation on these critical topics in sexual and reproductive health and rights.Useful links:SRHM Journal Open Issue:srhmjournal.orgCall for PapersInstructions for authors

In this episode of the SRHM Podcast we are honoured to hear from Rochelle Maurice, the author of the recently published SRHM Commentary, We bawl so we are heard: the stories we must tell about obstetric racism⁠. This commentary is available online and is freely available to read. We hope you enjoy listening to this commentary, read by the author in the true spirit of story telling. If you are an author of a paper in the SRHM Journal and would be interested in recording your paper for the podcast, please contact us at [email protected].

This episode is an AI recording of the paper 'Missed period? The significance of period-tracking applications in a post-Roe America' by Bridget Kelly, the Director of Research for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, Population Institute, Washington, DC, USA, and Maniza Habib, a Research Associate, Population Institute, Washington, DC, USA. The paper sheds important light on the possibility of misusing personal health data collected by period tracking apps to implicate a person of an abortion in states where it is illegal, post-Roe v Wade. It explores how if users could be assured that their sensitive health data are protected, period-tracking apps could be a valuable instrument in helping to safeguard bodily autonomy. To ensure the safety of users and enable period-tracking apps to perform their originally intended function of empowering menstruators, a series of actions will need to take place, which are discussed in detail in this episode. Link to the paper: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/26410397.2023.2238940#d1e245