| Dear WAS Members and Friends,
We are delighted to begin this month's update with very special recognitions for our President and Vice President.
| | | Please join us in congratulating Faysal El Kak, President of WAS, on being awarded the Honorary Fellowship (Fellow honoris causa) of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG).
This lifetime award acknowledges his outstanding dedication and achievements in advancing women's health worldwide. It is an honor that reflects not only Faysal's leadership but also the global impact of our shared work in sexual health and rights.
We are equally proud to celebrate our Vice President, Esther Corona-Vargas, who was formally recognized by the Mexican Chamber of Deputies during the Congress's national celebration of World Sexual Health Day (WSHD) earlier this month. This special honor highlights her decades of pioneering leadership in advancing sexual health and rights in Mexico and globally. | | Together, these honors reflect how WAS leadership is being recognized on both global and national stages, at the very moment that WSHD is gaining momentum worldwide.. | | | | In this week's newsletter we share: - Highlights from WSHD celebrations across Mexico, Portugal, Lebanon, and Africa
- Important upcoming observances on contraception and safe abortion
- Details of our October webinar on the Porto Proclamation
| | | World Sexual Health Day Around the World | | | | Mexico - A National Stage for WSHD | |  | | Pictured are WAS Vice President, Esther Corona-Vargas, some of the other attendees that included, among others, Mexican deputies, including the Presidents of the Health, Social Security and Diversity Commissions and UN representatives. | | | On 11 September, the Mexican Congress held a historic celebration of WSHD. The event was co-organized with strong contributions from WAS Mexican members and the Diversity Commission, led by Jaime López Vela, whose efforts were fundamental in making this milestone possible. | |
Importantly, several speakers called for WSHD to be recognized as a National Day in Mexico.
If more member states follow suit, this momentum could pave the way for eventual recognition of WSHD at the United Nations level. Portugal is currently the only country to have established WSHD as a National Day. Mexico may soon follow. | | |  |
Earlier, on 25 August, former WAS Secretary-General Luis Perelman appeared on Canal Once's national television program Aprender a Envejecer to discuss sexual justice in the context of WSHD, bringing the message to a wide public audience.
| | | Portugal - A New Global Observatory | | | On 4 September, during WSHD celebrations in Porto, the University of Porto and WAS signed a memorandum of understanding, establishing the World Observatory on Sexual Health - a global hub for data, research, and policy. The signing, led by WAS Past President Pedro Nobre, Faysal El Kak, and Rector António de Sousa Pereira, has been described as "the beginning of a new era" for advancing sexual health worldwide.
| |  | | Pictured, from left to right, Faysal El Kak (WAS President), António de Sousa Pereira (Rector of the University of Porto) and Pedro Nobre (WAS Past President) | | | Lebanon - Regional Recognition | | On 12 September, Faysal El Kak joined an international panel for a WSHD 2025 online event, hosted by Relationship Panoramic.
This online session brought together diverse voices in sexual health, including Sara Nasserzadeh, Rae McDaniel, Emily Jamea, Chris Walling, Scott Lyons, and August McLaughlin. Faysal's participation underscored the resonance of the movement across regions and highlighted Lebanon's contribution to advancing the conversation on sexual health and rights.
| | | | Africa - Training as a Pathway to Sexual Justice | | | On 14 September, WAS organizational member My Sexual Health, led by Immediate Past President Elna Rudolph, hosted a webinar titled Sexual Health Training in Africa – A Path to Sexual Justice. The panel featured Anthony Smith, Tammary Rotich (WAS AC Member), Delene van Dyk, and Marlena du Toit, who explored how academic training in Africa can strengthen access to sexual health and advance justice. |  | | Looking Ahead:
Reflections on Porto | | | The momentum of WSHD has been amplified by the landmark Porto Proclamation on Sexual Health, Rights and Justice, adopted earlier this month at the inaugural World Sexual Health Assembly.
On 16 October, WAS will host a special webinar to reflect on what this Proclamation means in practice, and how it can shape sexual health, rights, and justice in the years to come.
The Porto Proclamation on Sexual Health, Rights and Justice:
What happened in Porto will not stay in Porto
16 October 2025 | 16:00 SAST
Moderated by Faysal El Kak and Elna Rudolph, this session will feature reflections from across regions on how the Proclamation can guide collective action for the decade ahead. | | Global Observances
Contraception and Safe Abortion | | | | Later this month, two important observances remind us of the urgency of universal access and rights. | | | World Contraception Day - 26 September 2025 | | | Access to safe, effective, affordable, and acceptable contraception is a cornerstone of sexual rights. As affirmed in the WAS Declaration on Sexual Rights (2014):
"Everyone has the right to decide whether to have children, and the number and spacing of children, with the information and means to do so."
Join SRHM's webinar Sex, Satisfaction, and Switching: The Questions Contraceptive Research Forgot to Ask
Hosted by WAS Organizational Members, Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters, The Pleasure Project, and also the World Health Organization, this event will spotlight bold new research on sexual wellbeing and contraceptive use.
| | | International Safe Abortion Day - 28 September 2025 | | | Unsafe abortion remains a leading but preventable cause of maternal mortality worldwide. The WAS Declaration on Sexual Justice (2025) reminds us that dismantling stigma and structural barriers to safe abortion care is essential for equality, bodily integrity, and justice. | | | From global recognitions for our leaders to historic celebrations in Mexico, Portugal, Lebanon, and Africa, this month has shown that World Sexual Health Day is not just a day - it is a movement gaining strength worldwide.
As we look ahead to the webinar reflecting on The Porto Proclamation on Sexual Health, Rights and Justice and the upcoming observances of World Contraception Day and International Safe Abortion Day, we are reminded that progress in sexual health and rights comes through collective commitment.
Thank you for being part of this global community. Together, we are building a future where sexual health, rights, and justice are a reality for all.
Warm regards,
The World Association for Sexual Health (WAS) | | | Note: The WASapp will close on 7 October 2025. We invite our app users to stay connected with WAS by subscribing to our newsletter and following us on social media. | | | Founded in 1978, WAS serves as the global confederation of professional organizations, academics, clinicians, educators, and advocates dedicated to Sexual Health and Rights for All. Through six regional federations and more than 80 organizational members, WAS promotes sexual health as a fundamental human right.
Media Queries Dr. René de Klerk, WAS Executive Director Email: exec@worldsexualhealth.net
Lisa Welsh, WAS Communications Lead. Email: media@worldsexualhealth.net | | Support the Mission of WAS We invite you to support the ongoing work of the World Association for Sexual Health (WAS).
Your contributions help us continue our mission of promoting Sexual Health, Rights, and Justice globally. Consider becoming a supporting member or making a financial contribution today.
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