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

• Member of the International Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Consortium
• Young people’s sexual and reproductive health in Asia, Pacific and Australia
• Menstrual hygiene management
• Development of a topical microbicide gel for female-initiated HIV and STI prevention

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.
• 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.
• Impact of microbiota metabolites on the cervicovaginal mucosa
  This study aims to determine the action of lactic acid to treat and prevent vaginal inflammation.
• 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.
• Optima Nutrition
  A quantitative tool to assist with the allocation of intervention budgets to minimise stunting in children.
• Sexual & Reproductive Health Integration Project (SRHIP)
  SRHIP will expand coverage of STI, HIV, SRH within Catholic and Anglican PNG health services.
• Sexual Health And Risk Prevention (SHARP) Study
  Assessing responses to HIV prevention measures among Australian MSM.
• 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

• 2011 Vanuatu Integrated Bio-Behavioural Survey and population size estimation
  A study to estimate the number of men who have sex with men and prevalence of STIs in Port Vila.
• A study to improve the health and rights of Myanmar men who have sex with men
  This research evaluated the effectiveness of ‘Link Up’ services, in men who have sex with men.
• Accelerating ART initiation among Infants (AAMI Study)
  This project will trial the POC VISITECT® CD4 test and POC LYNX HIV p24 early infant diagnostic test.
• Adolescent reproductive health in Myanmar: Formative research to support the delivery of life-skills education and hygiene improvements through monastic schools in Magway
  A study into reproductive health education through the Monastic Education System in Magway.
• Assessing adolescent friendly health services in Nepal
  Young people in Nepal have poor access to quality, non-discriminatory health services.
• Australian Awards Fellowship: Inclusivity and diversity in sport: Fiji and Tonga
  The Fellowship promoted inclusivity and diversity in sport in Fiji and Tonga.
• Compass: Women's and Children's Health Knowledge Hub
  To increase the effectiveness of aid for women’s and children’s health in Asia and the Pacific
• Friendly HIV services for young key populations in Bandung, Indonesia
  A pilot project to increase testing and decrease new HIV infections in Bandung.
• HIV Prevention Initiatives Evaluation
  An initiative to reduce HIV/STI risk behaviours as well as increasing health seeking behaviours among homosexually active gay men.
• HIV services for young key populations in the Philippines
  The Philippines is considering changing laws that require adolescents to seek parental consent for HIV testing. This project will explore options and contribute to better understanding of how new laws might result in improved practices.
• Maternal Neonatal and Child Health support in Magway Region, Myanmar
  Improved MCH services via support to Township Health Departments and community based interventions.
• Menstrual hygiene management in Indonesia
  Understanding the impact that menstrual hygiene practices can have on females in developing countries.
• Pathways to post abortion care in Myanmar
  Understanding women's perspectives on accessing post-abortion care at public hospitals.
• SMS for Health: An acceptability trial of SMS to deliver adolescent sexual and reproductive health and anti-smoking messages to young people in Indonesia
  The trial is investigating whether communication technologies can be used to improve sexual and reproductive health knowledge and awareness, access and utilisation of services, and improve awareness of harms related to smoking, in Indonesia.
• Strengthening Sexual and Reproductive Health Capacity in Bali
  This project is aimed at building capacity around Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) and strengthening links between SRH and HIV prevention care and support
• Substance use and related harms among young people in the Solomon Islands
  Quantitative and qualitative research into youth substance use in the Solomon Islands.
• Understanding the effects of programs to increase men’s engagement in maternal, newborn and child health
  A multi-country study of how women and men in diverse settings experience efforts to increase male engagement in maternal, newborn and child health.