Sexual and reproductive health has not been common in developing countries, especially in Ethiopia. Due to culture, social norms, and practices that are considered unacceptable, people in rural areas are discriminated against by their society. In recent years, the Ethiopian government has prioritized raising awareness about sexual and reproductive health andhas also committed to making materials available to anyone who wants to access them.
Due to lack of awareness:
- Rapid populations growth has contributed to overpopulation and deforestation, which degrades the environment and undermines development. Ethiopia’s population of 72 million people is growing by 2 million people, or 2.5 percent, each year.
- Unintended pregnancies can occur when there is a lack of knowledge about sexual and reproductive health. Women who have an unintended pregnancies have poor physical and mental health, poor self-care, high levels of substance dependence, and depression. It also leads to abortions, both legal and illegal (traditional), which also have health consequences, especially traditional abortion, which can lead to death.
- There are diseases that are prevalent, such as HIV/AIDS, STDs, and STIs. In Ethiopia, HIV/AIDS is mainly transmitted through heterosexual contact.
Ethiopia has made progress and raised awareness in recent years. Marie Stopes International Ethiopia is a non-profit organization that has been instrumental in the progress. Since 1990, Marie Stopes Ethiopia has provided quality family planning, maternal and child health, and HIV/AIDS services across the country. There are currently 24 sectors in Ethiopia, and they have outreach teams that have made a name for themselves throughout Ethiopia for providing quality services to people in hard-to-reach and remote areas.
PROJECT-E recognizes the importance of sexual and reproductive health. We invited representatives from Marie Stopes representatives to the PROJECT-E Hospitality Institute who hosted a sexual reproductive health workshop which has successfully been completed.
