Sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) encompasses all matters related to puberty, sexuality, relationships, sexual health, fertility and birth.
It is a fundamental human right of all people to decide if, when and with whom to have sex, and if and when to have children - free from discrimination, coercion and violence.
Addressing SHRH is critical to improving the health of women and children - meeting the needs for effective contraception would avert 30 per cent of maternal deaths and 20 per cent of child deaths by supporting health timing and spacing of births and preventing unwanted pregnancy. Over a third of all women who die from pregnancy-related causes did not want to be pregnant in the first place.
It is also crucial to achieving sustainable, equitable development by allowing adolescent girls and women to complete education and participate in paid employment. It would also support poverty reduction and women’s empowerment.
- 225 million adolescent girls and women (1 in 4 in low and middle income countries) have an unmet need for contraception (i.e. don’t want to get pregnant but aren’t using an effective method of contraception)
- 80 million unintended pregnancies every year
- 22 million unsafe abortions resulting in 47,000 deaths each year and many thousands more who suffer serious complications and disability
- 1 in 3 women globally experience physical and/or sexual violence in their lifetime, mostly at the hand of an intimate partner
- 1 in 10 adolescent girls aged 15-19 years have experienced sexual violence
- About 200 million women are infected with a sexually transmitted infection (STI) every year - most do not receive adequate treatment. Adolescent girls and young women 15-24 years have the highest rates of STI of any age group.
Burnet Institute has a strong track record of using evidence-based approaches to improve access to sexual and reproductive health information and services.
Research and Public Health Focus
Current Projects
- Children and teenagers' exposure to risk online and methods to reduce harm
Understanding experiences of parenting children in the age of online technology and pornography.
- A novel gel for targeting vaginal inflammation to prevent HIV transmission
Developing an intravaginal gel delivering a vaginal microbiota metabolite.
- Burnet Microbiome Initiative
Pilot study to characterise the vaginal microbiome in women from the HMHB cohort.
- Development of hydrogel based intravaginal drug delivery device
Developing an intravaginal ring to deliver a microbiota metabolite.
- Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies
A collaborative research program aimed at providing life-saving health care for women and children in PNG.
- HMHB - Health Services for Postnatal and Infancy Care
Focuses on services during postnatal period and through the first 12 months in East New Britain, PNG.
- Inequalities in sexual and reproductive health in Asia and the Pacific
Despite progress to improve sexual and reproductive health in the region, significant inequalities in health outcomes and access to essential care remain.
- Integrated multi-sectoral approach to improve the SRH of young people (10 to 18 years) in Magwey, Myanmar (IMSA)
This formative study provides evidence of current knowledge and attitudes among adolescents.
- Intimate attitudes, practices and knowledge among Chinese-speaking international students
A survey of international students' sexual behaviors, knowledge of STIs, sexual education and pornography.
- Predicting quality and potency of monoclonal and natural antibodies
Rapid, simple and scalable assays for predicting antibody potency.
- Sexual & Reproductive Health Integration Project (SRHIP)
SRHIP will expand coverage of STI, HIV, SRH within Catholic and Anglican PNG health services.
- Sexual and reproductive health in Asia and the Pacific
A review of issues, policies and programmes.
- Sexual Health And Risk Prevention (SHARP) Study
Assessing responses to HIV prevention measures among Australian MSM.
- Transitions and Risk in Young People (TRYP) project
Investigating the influence of peer groups on behaviour in the transition from adolescence to adulthood.
- WHISPER and SHOUT - mHealth interventions among Kenyan sex workers
Mobile phone-based health promotions sent to sex workers in Mombasa.
- Working with men to address HIV in Myanmar
Reducing HIV-related risk, vulnerability and impact among men who have sex with men in Myanmar.
Past Projects
