To mark this year's International Action Day On Women's Health, which falls on May 28, women rights advocacy groups yesterday called for mechanisms to ensure the "healthy sexuality" of Thai women.

Thailand has failed to address the issue of women's sexual health for decades due to taboos surrounding female sexuality, said Nattaya Boonpakdee, the co-ordinator of the Women's Health Advocacy Foundation (WHAF).

Together with the Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth) the WHAF is carrying out a public campaign aimed at changing women's attitudes towards sex and encouraging more open discussions on the subject, said Nattaya.

"This traditional Thai way of thinking makes women more vulnerable to numerous health threats as they shy away from proper knowledge and necessary healthcare services," said Nattaya.

The statistics show women are at risk from a number of sexual health issues, including HIV, rape and cervical and breast cancer. Nattaya emphasised that women need to be educated about measures to reduce these risks and protect their sexual health.

Deputy director of the Institute for Population and Social Research at Mahidol University, Kritaya Archavanitkul, added that further threats were presented by sexual violence along with an ignorance about sexual health issues based on cultural traditions such as valuing virginity and a fear of discussing sexual issues or approaching doctors with gynaecological problems.

She added that the knock-on effect of this "silent culture" also creates double standards and ignorance about sex, which can have detrimental affects on the sexual relationships of married couples.

"Instead of using the traditional 'value on virginity' discourse which takes the power away from women, we should be saying, 'be ready to have sex' or 'practice safe sex' instead," she advised.

Onnida Aditapsatit

The Nation