Page 343 - RUICHSS 2023 Proceeding

University of Ruhuna ISSN: 2706-0063
Matara, Sri Lanka

1. Introduction and Research Problem

In recent years, there has been growing international concern about the sexual

and reproductive health of young people. Despite progress in SRH services in

various countries, significant gaps remain. The Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs) aim for universal access to reproductive healthcare by 2030, but

this goal faces challenges in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). A
survey of 70 LMICs revealed that a tiny percentage of teenage women in these

countries visit health centers for family planning information (Vincent et al.,

2022, p.102). Debates and campaigns addressing the SRHR of people with
disabilities are now increasingly common and of public relevance. They are

frequently fronted by statements that imply a commonality of global
experience for people with disabilities in the failure of society to recognise

them as sexual beings (Adlakh et al., 2017).

According to the United Nations, persons with disabilities include those with
long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments which, in

interaction with various barriers, may hinder their full and effective
participation in society on an equal basis with others. The drafters of the

Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities were clear that disability
should be seen as the result of the interaction between a person and his or her

environment (United Nations, 2006).

Sexual and reproductive health is essential for human well-being but often
stigmatised, especially in Asian countries like Sri Lanka. This is particularly

true for persons with disabilities, who face additional challenges due to
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