The Standing Committee on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights including HIV and AIDS was formed in 1992, driven by a strong will to take an active part in interventions concerning HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and to support people living with HIV and AIDS through working to decrease stigma and discrimination. It constitutes one out of the six Standing Committees of the International Federation of Medical Students’ Association which serves as the Body of all Medical Students worldwide. SCORA develops and promotes medical students’ empowerment and activities aiming at improving sexual and reproductive health and rights led by students for the benefit of their communities. This is primarily done through peer education and training, advocacy, and awareness campaigns at all levels from grassroots to international.
A world where every individual is empowered to exercise their sexual and reproductive health rights equally, free from stigma and discrimination.
Mission
To provide our members with the tools necessary to advocate for sexual and reproductive health rights within their respective communities in a culturally sensitive fashion. This is accomplished through building the skills and knowledge of our members, providing training on comprehensive sexuality education and other reproductive health issues, exchanging ideas and projects, as well as drafting policies, and working with our external partners in order to create change at the local, regional, and international level.
Objectives
○ To raise awareness on topics related to HIV and AIDS and sexual and reproductive health.
○ To decrease the stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV and AIDS.
○ To raise awareness and increase knowledge about facts, scientific research, global agreements, and documents concerning sexual and reproductive health.
○ Promote positive sexuality and healthy sexual life.
○ Advocating for policies concerning sexual and reproductive health and representing medical students worldwide
○ Collaborate and facilitate joint actions concerning medical education, public health, and human rights.
○ Provide tools for capacity building for future healthcare professionals in terms of sexual and reproductive health and rights
Focus Areas
Gender Equity refers to “the equal rights, responsibilities, and opportunities of women and men, it does not mean that they are the same, but that their responsibilities and opportunities will not depend on whether they are born male or female.” Gender equity is also not a privilege, but an absolute necessity as the only way to eliminate gender-based violence - which refers to “harmful acts directed at an individual based on their gender”- and preserve the rights of both parties. So this focus area was made, intended to strongly address all the forms of gender-based violence, in addition to tackling the atypical forms of violence directed at men, and promoting gender equality as the only solution for the elimination of GBV and gender discrimination.
This focus area aims to address all the STIs in Egypt and specifically HIV and AIDS, their modes of transmission, prevalence and statistics, prevention and screening, treatment modalities, and most importantly the stigma and discrimination around them that result in people not getting tested, diagnosed patients not getting treated and patients on treatment not compliant to it, and not to mention the reduced quality of life, suicidal risks and new infections due to that vicious circle of ignorance and discrimination, especially by health care providers.
Reproductive health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity, in all matters relating to the reproductive system and to its functions and processes. Reproductive health implies that people are able to have a satisfying and safe sex life and that they have the capability to reproduce and the freedom to decide if, when, and how often to do so.
This focus area aims to address all that’s related to SRHR, advocacy, customs, and traditions, how to influence behavioral change, sex positivity, sex education, maternal health, adolescents’ health, etc.
Projects
FGM is recognized internationally as a violation of the human rights of girls and women. It reflects deep-rooted inequality between the sexes and constitutes an extreme form of discrimination against women. It is nearly always carried out on minors and is a violation of the rights of children. The practice also violates a person's rights to health, security, and physical integrity, the right to be free from torture and cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment, and the right to life when the procedure results in death.
Egypt is the most populous country in the Middle East and the third most populous country in Africa. The 2018 fertility rate is at 3.1, according to a study prepared by UNFPA, with data collected from the birth and mortality registration system implemented in collaboration between the Ministry of Planning, Monitoring and Administrative Reform and the Ministry of Health and Population. We have to admit that overpopulation in Egypt and its dimensions have become one of the serious problems, which challenge the Egyptian community, as it relates to the social, economic, political, and educational future of the nation. So this project was launched to deal with this serious problem from the deepest roots.
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