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and Rights for

Sexual Health

ALL

Welcome to the World Association for Sexual Health

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The World Association for Sexual Health (WAS) is proud to announce the publication of a major position paper in the International Journal of Sexual Health:

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Sexual Justice and the Future of Sexual Rights: A Call to Action.

International Journal of Sexual Health, 1–22. 

Giami, A., Corona, E., Welsh, L., Hernandez Forcada, R., Stardust, Z., Islam Khan, M. S., Pirotte, M., Parker, R. G., El Feki, S., Gómez Regalado, A., Medico, D., Loewe Kurilla, A., Perelman, L., de Klerk, R., Janssen, E., Nobre, P., & Rudolph, E. (2026).

A framework for collective power.


The Porto Proclamation on Sexual Health, Rights, and Justice, published in the International Journal of Sexual Health, is free to access until December 31, 2026.

The Porto Proclamation on Sexual Health, Rights, and Justice

A Shared Commitment

Porto, Portugal

5 September 2025

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On 5 September 2025, at the inaugural World Sexual Health Assembly (WSHA) in Porto, Portugal, global leaders adopted the Porto Proclamation on Sexual Health, Rights, and Justice.

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The Proclamation affirms that sexual health is integral to human dignity and development, sexual rights are human rights, and sexual justice is essential to equality and inclusion. It sets out guiding principles of equity, accountability, evidence, person-centred services, comprehensive sexuality education, professional training, solidarity, and the recognition of sexual pleasure as fundamental to health and wellbeing.

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Looking ahead, the Proclamation outlines priorities for 2025–2030: strengthening laws, policies, education, and services; ensuring universal access and professional training; coordinating global advocacy; countering misinformation; integrating sexual justice with wider justice movements; and securing sustainable funding.​

Signatories of The Porto Proclamation

By adopting this historic text, signatories commit to advancing sexual health, rights, and justice worldwide - and to sustaining the World Sexual Health Assembly as a platform for collective action with purpose, unity, and accountability.

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The World Sexual Health Assembly invites all individuals in Sexual Health and Rights to endorse the Porto Proclamation on Sexual Health, Rights and Justice and to form part of the united global response that continues to build on the hard-won gains of the past five decades.

World Sexual Health Day 2026

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"Sexual health is a state of physical, emotional, mental and social well-being related to sexuality; it is not merely the absence of disease, dysfunction or infirmity. Sexual health requires a positive and respectful approach to sexuality and sexual relationships, as well as the possibility of having pleasurable and safe sexual experiences, free of coercion, discrimination and violence. For sexual health to be attained and maintained, the sexual rights of all persons must be respected, protected and fulfilled."

The World Health Organization (WHO) Working Definition 2002-2006
(Developed in consultation with WAS)

Sexual Health Definition
Cover of the International Journal for Sexual Health

The International Journal
of Sexual Health

Get free access to the

International Journal of Sexual Health

when you become an individual or organizational member of the World Association for Sexual Health (WAS).

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Scientific, evidence- and rights-based, experience-informed, context-sensitive knowledge about sexuality is widely accessible and not censored.

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