Page 344 - RUICHSS 2023 Proceeding

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

cultural and religious taboos, discrimination, and physical barriers (Adlakh et

al., 2017; ISPA, 2022). The research problem of this study is to explore the
perceptions and barriers to the accessibility, quality, and effectiveness of

Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) education for female university

students with disabilities (SWDs). The researchers therefore aimed to explore
the perceptions of female university students with disabilities regarding the

accessibility, quality, and effectiveness of SRH education.

Identifying the specific barriers and experiences of students with disabilities

in the context of SRH education and identifying the role of educational
institutions and policies in addressing the specific needs and barriers faced by

students with disabilities in SRH education is also essential in focusing on the

perspectives and experiences of students with disabilities. The study also
emphasises creating a more authentic and nuanced understanding of the

challenges and opportunities in promoting sexual and reproductive health

among these vulnerable populations. The knowledge generated from this study
will help professionals in the field of disability, including social workers, to

improve their practical interventions.

2. Research Methodology

A qualitative, phenomenological research approach was used to investigate the
gendered socialization and disability, as well as attitudes, to the sexual and

reproductive health education experiences of university students with
disabilities in Sri Lanka and how they perceive sexual and reproductive health

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