Deafening silence on a vital issue: The World Health Organization has ignored the sexuality of persons with disabilities
In 2016, the World Health Organization, through the Global Cooperation on Assistive Technology Initiative, issued the Priority Assistive Products List which is meant to be a guide to member states of the 50 assistive products needed for a basic health care and/or social welfare system; it is also a...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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AOSIS
2018-07-01
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| Series: | African Journal of Disability |
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| Online Access: | https://ajod.org/index.php/ajod/article/view/474 |
| _version_ | 1818139414084190208 |
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| author | Christine Peta |
| author_facet | Christine Peta |
| author_sort | Christine Peta |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In 2016, the World Health Organization, through the Global Cooperation on Assistive Technology Initiative, issued the Priority Assistive Products List which is meant to be a guide to member states of the 50 assistive products needed for a basic health care and/or social welfare system; it is also a model from which nations can develop their national priority assistive products lists. The aim of this opinion paper is to share my views about the Priority Assistive Products List on the grounds that it makes no distinct mention of sexual assistive devices, yet research has indicated that sexuality is an area of great concern for persons with disabilities. In any case, sexuality forms a core part of being human, and it impacts on both the physical and mental well-being of all human beings. I conclude in part that, in its present format, the list perpetuates the myth that persons with disabilities are asexual beings who are innocent of sexual thoughts, feelings and experiences. The list also propagates the stereotype that sexuality is a sacred, private, bedroom matter that should be kept out of the public domain, to the detriment of the health and well-being of persons with disabilities. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T10:27:42Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2f877e4e9c844947a7bb27f8c87d0029 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2223-9170 2226-7220 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T10:27:42Z |
| publishDate | 2018-07-01 |
| publisher | AOSIS |
| record_format | Article |
| series | African Journal of Disability |
| spelling | doaj.art-2f877e4e9c844947a7bb27f8c87d00292022-12-22T01:11:04ZengAOSISAfrican Journal of Disability2223-91702226-72202018-07-0170e1e310.4102/ajod.v7i0.474153Deafening silence on a vital issue: The World Health Organization has ignored the sexuality of persons with disabilitiesChristine Peta0Centre for Rehabilitation Studies, Department of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch UniversityIn 2016, the World Health Organization, through the Global Cooperation on Assistive Technology Initiative, issued the Priority Assistive Products List which is meant to be a guide to member states of the 50 assistive products needed for a basic health care and/or social welfare system; it is also a model from which nations can develop their national priority assistive products lists. The aim of this opinion paper is to share my views about the Priority Assistive Products List on the grounds that it makes no distinct mention of sexual assistive devices, yet research has indicated that sexuality is an area of great concern for persons with disabilities. In any case, sexuality forms a core part of being human, and it impacts on both the physical and mental well-being of all human beings. I conclude in part that, in its present format, the list perpetuates the myth that persons with disabilities are asexual beings who are innocent of sexual thoughts, feelings and experiences. The list also propagates the stereotype that sexuality is a sacred, private, bedroom matter that should be kept out of the public domain, to the detriment of the health and well-being of persons with disabilities.https://ajod.org/index.php/ajod/article/view/474SexualitydisabilityWHOPriority Assistive Products List |
| spellingShingle | Christine Peta Deafening silence on a vital issue: The World Health Organization has ignored the sexuality of persons with disabilities African Journal of Disability Sexuality disability WHO Priority Assistive Products List |
| title | Deafening silence on a vital issue: The World Health Organization has ignored the sexuality of persons with disabilities |
| title_full | Deafening silence on a vital issue: The World Health Organization has ignored the sexuality of persons with disabilities |
| title_fullStr | Deafening silence on a vital issue: The World Health Organization has ignored the sexuality of persons with disabilities |
| title_full_unstemmed | Deafening silence on a vital issue: The World Health Organization has ignored the sexuality of persons with disabilities |
| title_short | Deafening silence on a vital issue: The World Health Organization has ignored the sexuality of persons with disabilities |
| title_sort | deafening silence on a vital issue the world health organization has ignored the sexuality of persons with disabilities |
| topic | Sexuality disability WHO Priority Assistive Products List |
| url | https://ajod.org/index.php/ajod/article/view/474 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT christinepeta deafeningsilenceonavitalissuetheworldhealthorganizationhasignoredthesexualityofpersonswithdisabilities |