Are health services sensitive to needs of young persons in all their diversities?
SHOBHA SHUKLA CNS
Right to health and gender equality are fundamental human right for all - where no one is left behind
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How many healthcare facilities have sign language or braille interpretation, ramps or other acutely needed support for people with different forms of disabilities? Even health awareness and disease-prevention campaigns are seldom in sign language, braille or visual communication medium, says Nishant Kumar, Coordinator of Y-PEER Nepal and Member, Working Group on Disabilities and 2030 Agenda.
I mostly work with young people with hearing disabilities or deafness. They are having disproportionately more barriers in accessing health services and challenges get compounded with lack of sign language interpreters as well as disability-unfriendly physical infrastructure poses additional blockages and challenges for persons with disabilities, said Nishant.
Education on sexual and reproductive health and rights for young people with hearing disabilities is extremely limited but Nishant's organisation uses peer-to-peer education approach. That way we are trying to make them empowered, learn about their bodily autonomy, their rights, among others. Disparities in services between urban and rural areas also affect young people in Nepal. Rural youth still struggle to access basic health services like safe abortion, HIV prevention and mental health support, which are limited and stigmatised, he said.
Young people with disabilities more at risk of child marriage, gender-based violence
Young people, especially girls and women with disabilities or other gender diverse peoples or indigenous peoples, are more challenged by child marriages and gender-based violence, said Nishant. He was speaking in SHE & Rights (Sexual Health with Equity & Rights) session organised together by Global Center for Health Diplomacy and Inclusion (CeHDI), Y+ Global (Global network of young people living with HIV), Y-PEER Asia Pacific, Asia Indigenous Youth Platform (AIYP), Youth Lead Voices, International Conference on Family Planning (ICFP) 2025, Family Planning News Network (FPNN), International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), Asian-Pacific Resource and Research Centre for Women (ARROW), Womens Global Network for Reproductive Rights (WGNRR), Asia Pacific Media Alliance for Health and Development (APCAT Media) and CNS.
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