and Rights for
Sexual Health
ALL
Welcome to the World Association for Sexual Health
The Porto Proclamation on Sexual Health, Rights, and Justice
A Shared Commitment
Porto, Portugal
5 September 2025
On 5 September 2025, at the inaugural World Sexual Health Assembly (WSHA) in Porto, Portugal, global leaders adopted the Porto Proclamation on Sexual Health, Rights, and Justice.
The Proclamation affirms that sexual health is integral to human dignity and development, sexual rights are human rights, and sexual justice is essential to equality and inclusion. It sets out guiding principles of equity, accountability, evidence, person-centred services, comprehensive sexuality education, professional training, solidarity, and the recognition of sexual pleasure as fundamental to health and wellbeing.
Looking ahead, the Proclamation outlines priorities for 2025–2030: strengthening laws, policies, education, and services; ensuring universal access and professional training; coordinating global advocacy; countering misinformation; integrating sexual justice with wider justice movements; and securing sustainable funding.
By adopting this historic text, signatories commit to advancing sexual health, rights, and justice worldwide - and to sustaining the World Sexual Health Assembly as a platform for collective action with purpose, unity, and accountability.
The World Sexual Health Assembly invites all individuals in Sexual Health and Rights to endorse the Porto Proclamation on Sexual Health, Rights and Justice and to form part of the united global response that continues to build on the hard-won gains of the past five decades.
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Sexual Health and Rights to ALL
"Sexual health is a state of physical, emotional, mental and social well-being related to sexuality; it is not merely the absence of disease, dysfunction or infirmity. Sexual health requires a positive and respectful approach to sexuality and sexual relationships, as well as the possibility of having pleasurable and safe sexual experiences, free of coercion, discrimination and violence. For sexual health to be attained and maintained, the sexual rights of all persons must be respected, protected and fulfilled."
The World Health Organization (WHO) Working Definition 2002-2006
(Developed in consultation with WAS)
Upcoming Events
ICFP 202503 Nov 2025, 19:00 – 06 Nov 2025, 23:00Bogotá, Bogotá, Bogota, Colombia
SSSS Conference 202512 Nov 2025, 09:00 – 16 Nov 2025, 13:00Philadelphia, PA, USA
XVIII Spanish Sexology Conference and XI Iberian-American Meeting of Sexology Professionals21 Nov 2025, 08:30 GMT+1 – 22 Nov 2025, 21:00 GMT+1Madrid, Fuencarral-El Pardo, 28049 Madrid, Spain
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WAS2025
Dr Elna Rudolph, Immediate Past President of WAS, reflects on the 27th Congress of the World Association for Sexual Health (WAS 2025)
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