WAS Antalya Turkiye Congress Declaration on Sexual Justice

The World Association for Sexual Health (WAS) proclaims that:

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Sexual justice contributes to a more equal and inclusive world and is essential for the achievement of sexual health and rights for all people without discrimination, fear, shame, and stigma.

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Sexual justice is a central dimension of social justice, as it relates to sexuality and sexual health and is essential for the respect, protection and fulfillment of sexual rights as human rights.

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Sexual justice is fundamental for just societies and addresses the social determinants and structural conditions of inequalities and discriminations that persist globally in relation to sexual health and rights, that particularly impact oppressed, marginalized and discriminated populations.

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Sexual justice requires a challenge to societal norms, power dynamics and institutions, attitudes and prejudices that perpetuate discrimination and violence in relation to sexuality and sexual health, and demands structural changes in societies.

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The World Association for Sexual Health:

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AFFIRMS that Sexual justice encompasses the principles of human dignity, autonomy, bodily integrity, self-determination and citizenship and promotes inclusivity, non-discrimination, and social acceptance of the most underprivileged, marginalized and stigmatized populations – and individuals – in terms of social class, gender, diverse relationship structures, race/ethnicity, migration status, age, health status and disabilities among others and embraces diverse sexual orientations, gender identities and its expressions and bodily diversities.

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RECOGNIZES that Sexual justice is interconnected with and cannot be achieved without Climate and Environmental justice, Racial justice, Health justice, Gender Justice and Economic justice and other facets of justice that constitute the basic pillars of a just society.

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DECLARES that sexual justice addresses the social determinants of health and sexual health and is essential for the achievement of the highest attainable sexual health including the availability, accessibility, acceptability and quality of sexual health information and services, and the provision of comprehensive sexuality education.

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RECOGNIZES that the causes of sexuality-related violence and coercion and other sexual rights violations are deeply rooted in social and power related inequalities and require access to justice, and the provision of appropriate and comprehensive remedies redress and reparation both at systemic and individual level for those whose sexual rights have been violated and denied.

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AFFIRMS that sexual justice necessitates structural change in societies as a matter of accountability of State and non-State actors, and requires the development of enabling laws and policies and programs and social and professional actions. This shall be achieved within the context of transparent processes and with the leadership and meaningful participation of impacted communities.

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WAS CALLS UPON all state and non-state actors including governments, parliaments, the justice sector, civil society actors, and other organizations and institutions, international organizations, religious bodies and community leaders to dismantle systemic barriers of inequality, eliminate discrimination, and systemic violence, facilitate access to the full benefits of citizenship and to create a society where sexual health can be achieved and sexual justice and sexual rights are a lived reality for all.