Sexuality, Young People and Rights
Subtopic 3: Sexuality, Young People and Rights – An Introduction 

For the past few weeks we have discussed extensively how the category of ‘young people’ is indeterminate and how it differs according to contexts, countries, cultures, disability status etc. We have also talked about the lack of open and non-judgmental spaces where young people could articulate their specific concerns, seek information and participate in decision-making processes. These spaces are especially restricted when it comes to issues of sexuality.

Young people are most often considered as people who are impressionable, devoid of agency and unable to take decisions about their own lives. Therefore, when it comes to claiming of rights of young people, it is most often the significant adults around them or the State who get to control the rights of young people. In the situation when young people have little or no information about their specific rights it becomes difficult for them to identify, articulate and to claim rights.

Sexuality also remains an indistinct and highly misunderstood concept with people most often equating sexuality only with the acts of sex. Sexual rights as a concept is slowly gaining momentum globally. However what is it that comprises sexual rights and how are they different from reproductive rights? Often reproductive and sexual rights are clubbed into the same category with the idea that they are one and the same. It becomes important to delineate the two as this kind of a connection comes from an underlying assumption of heterosexuality and excludes other choices to live and exercise sexuality. In addition, it also dilutes the importance of the sexual and reproductive rights as individual concepts.

At this juncture when the concept of sexual rights is not clear even for that of adults, does it make sense for us to talk about sexual rights of young people? These are some of the specific concerns and strands of thought that we could take up and discuss as a group during Subtopic 3.

For the next two weeks, we will be examining the following questions as a part of the forum discussion:

1. What do we mean by sexual rights for young people? Should young people be able to claim sexual rights?
2. Do all young people have the same rights? Should there be a different set of rights for different categories of young people such as that for disabled young people or young people who do not have access to formal education?
3. Do we think that young people have the agency to consent and take decisions when it comes to sexuality?
4. Do we think there should be an appropriate age when people can consent to having sex or take decisions about their sexuality? Who decides that age and on what basis?

Please feel free to write in your analyses, observations, thoughts, comments, and examples addressing any one, or all of the issues and questions raised above. Alternatively, please pose new questions you feel are relevant for this sub-topic. For Subtopic 4 we would like to discuss positive and affirmative strategies and practices that we have either used or found useful in the different set-ups that we work in when working on young people and sexuality.

Subtopic 4: Practices and Strategies – Next Steps!

We look forward to a lively and exciting discussion!

Regards,

Arpita Das (Moderator)
The South and Southeast Asia Resource Centre on Sexuality