Sexual and reproductive health education : a study in the context of Romania

Abstract

Romania currently has the second highest rate for adolescent pregnancies and the highest rate for adolescent abortions in Europe. Numerous times, scholars and scientists advocate for the implementation of comprehensive sexual and reproductive health education as one of the possible solutions for such issues. As such, in light of these worrying statistics, this thesis looks at Romania’s legislation on and approach to providing comprehensive sexual and reproductive health education to girls. Romania’s legislation will be analysed in terms of its international obligations stemming out of various Conventions and their Treaty Bodies. The thesis will conduct such a study by adopting a gender and feminist lens. Furthermore, the thesis will provide an analysis into the underlying factors for such gruelling statistics, by looking at cultural and traditional views on women’s rights and sexual and reproductive health rights, as well as socio-economic factors. The thesis also argues for the implementation of an intersectional sexual education curriculum in Romania.