Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters Podcast

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  Building a Future HIV Response 16.09.2026 51min

  If we designed the HIV response around the girls who need it most, what would we do differently?A conversation between Laura Ferguson (SRHM), Serah Malaba (Tiko) and Lindsay Hayden (Elton John AIDS Foundation).
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  Rethinking how we fund the fight against child marriage 21.08.2026 22min

  In the latest episode of the SRHM Podcast, SRHM Chief Executive Eszter Kismodi speaks with Lara van Kouterik, Interim Co-CEO and Director of Strategy, Evidence and Impact at Girls Not Brides, about why current funding models are falling short and what needs to change. Drawing on a recent SRHM blog by former Girls Not Brides CEO Dr Faith Mwangi-Powell, the conversation explores why short-term, project-based funding is often ill-suited to addressing complex, interconnected challenges such as child marriage. Read the blog, 'We know what works. So why can’t we build the architecture to make it last?': https://www.srhm.org/news/we-know-what-works-so-why-cant-we-build-the-architecture-to-make-it-last/
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  Future-Proofing: The Professionalization of an Anti-Rights Youth Generation 14.08.2026 51min

  In this episode, Eszter Kismődi and Jamie Vernaelde, Senior researcher at Ipas, explore how anti-rights movements cultivate young people’s involvement from an early age, using schools, universities and campus organisations as entry points. They trace how this involvement can continue through internships, professional training, mentoring and political networks, creating pathways into positions of influence in law, medicine, communications, advocacy and policy.Drawing on examples from different countries and contexts, the conversation examines how movements invest in young people not only as activists, but as future professionals and leaders. It looks at the role of education, professional networks, funding, social media and long-term relationship-building in sustaining influence over decades.The episode asks what these strategies mean for sexual and reproductive health and rights, and what can be learned about the importance of investing in the next generation of SRHR advocates, researchers and professionals.Read the full report from Ipas: https://www.ipas.org/resource/future-proofing-the-professionalization-of-an-anti-rights-youth-generation/
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  Call for Proposals – Resisting Erasure: Communities Reclaiming Knowledge Production 31.07.2026 28min

  Sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) knowledge production spans a wide range of methodological approaches and perspectives. Yet one set of voices and views that have been missing in discourse are those of practitioners and communities. While SRHM – together with its peer-reviewed open access journal Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters (SRHM) – has made consistent efforts to engage activists, implementers and community-based organisations, the field at large has not embraced the experience of communities as ‘evidence’ (McHugh et al., 2024).To address this form of epistemic injustice, IPPF and SRHM are launching the ‘reclaiming knowledge production’ initiative, which aims to foreground the voices, lived experience and expertise of communities and SRHR providers/practitioners in knowledge production.In partnership, IPPF and SRHM have launched a call for proposals for an SRHM article collection.Read the full call for proposals at srhmjournal.org.
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  Emotional capitalism and artificial intimacy: Have you paid the subscription to your partner? 10.07.2026 59min

  What does intimacy mean in a world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence?This discussion brings together critical perspectives on the rise of AI companions, chatbots and other technologies that promise connection, care and even love. While these systems are often framed as solutions to loneliness or social isolation, the conversation pushes beyond this narrative to examine the political, economic and ethical dimensions that underpin them.Moderator: Dr Zahra StardustSpeakers:Micaela MantegnaDianela GahnThis is a RightsCon session hosted by Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters (SRHM), in collaboration with the Queensland University of Technology (QUT), following the cancellation of RightsCon 2026.
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  S*x in the Shadows of Big Tech 26.06.2026 1h

  During a time of authoritarianism, digital surveillance, and increasing criminalisation, this webinar explores how social media shadowbanning and deplatforming affect sexual health educators, sex workers, and other marginalised communities.By sharing both their experiences of censorship and their strategies of resistance, the speakers seek to prompt ongoing conversations across sectors, regions and communities about how to safeguard sexual health and sexual rights online.Moderator:Dr Zahra Stardust: Australian Research Council DECRA Fellow investigating how digital platforms can better protect sexual and reproductive rights online. Co-Chair of the World Association for Sexual Health’s Sexual Rights Committee and sits on the World Health Organisation’s Sexual Health and Wellbeing Advisory Group. Dr Zahra Stardust is also a member of SRHM's Editorial and Advisory Board. Speakers: Kali Sudhra: Executive Director at The European Sex Workers’ Rights Alliance Mar Diez: Cybersecurity & Privacy Legal Counsel and a digital rights advocate. Co-founder of Espacio Seguro LGBTQIA+ BurgosMaria Prendeville: Content marketing and email marketer for femtech, sex-positive and women's health brandsMartha Dimitratou: Founder and Executive Director of Repro UncensoredRead more on the blog at: https://www.srhm.org/news/sx-in-the-shadows-of-big-tech/
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  The Next Wave: How Religious Extremism Is Regaining Power 19.06.2026 1h 11min

  In this episode of the SRHM Podcast, Eszter Kismődi and Neil Datta, Executive Director and founder of the European Parliamentary Forum on Sexual and Reproductive Rights (EPF), take a deep dive into the evolving landscape of anti-gender and anti-rights movements, drawing on new analysis from the European Parliamentary Forum (EPF). What emerges is a picture of a highly coordinated, well-funded and increasingly sophisticated ecosystem that operates across multiple domains, reshaping not only sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), but also wider democratic systems.Read more at srhm.org.Read the full report, 'The Next Wave: How Religious Extremism Is Regaining Power' here: https://www.epfweb.org/node/1147
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  Unlocking the Girl Dividend: Why Smarter Health Financing is Africa’s Best Economic Bet 12.06.2026 28min

  In this episode of the SRHM Podcast, Eszter Kismődi is joined by Sarah Malaba, Co-CEO of Tiko, to explore how smarter, more equitable health financing can transform the lives of adolescent girls across Sub-Saharan Africa, and why this is fundamentally a question of economic justice.At the centre of the discussion is the “triple threat” of unintended pregnancy, new HIV infections, and sexual violence, three interconnected challenges that not only shape health outcomes but also systematically limit girls’ educational attainment, economic participation and future earning potential. When these risks go unaddressed, they reinforce cycles of poverty and inequality, undermining both individual rights and broader economic development.Drawing on insights from recent global and regional convenings, including the World Health Summit and the RHNK conference, the episode calls for a shift away from high-level commitments towards practical, adequately funded, girl-centred solutions. It highlights the urgent need for governments to move beyond donor dependency and prioritise domestic investment in adolescent girls as a distinct and critical population.The conversation unpacks the concept of the “girl dividend”, emphasising that it cannot be realised without redistributive policies, sustained public investment, and accountability for delivering integrated, stigma-free services. Investing in girls is not only about improving health outcomes, it is about enabling girls to stay in school, access decent work, exercise bodily autonomy, and participate fully in economic and social life.With a strong emphasis on youth participation, real-time data, and multi-sectoral approaches, this episode offers a clear call to action: to centre adolescent girls in policy design and financing decisions, and to recognise that achieving sexual and reproductive health and rights is inseparable from advancing economic justice.
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  Beyond the Ruling: Kenya’s Abortion Appeal, Post-Abortion Care and the Fight for Reproductive Justice 05.06.2026 39min

  A recent Court of Appeal decision in Kenya has generated concern among healthcare providers, reproductive justice advocates and human rights movements in Kenya and beyond. The ruling overturned elements of a landmark High Court decision and reinstated criminal proceedings involving a young woman and a healthcare provider after emergency post-abortion care was sought.In this episode of the SRHM Podcast, Eszter Kismodi is joined by Martin Onyango, Associate Director for Legal Strategies at the Center for Reproductive Rights; Ruth Mumbi, Human Rights Defender and Executive Director of Women Collective Kenya; and Nelly Munyasia, Executive Director of Reproductive Health Network Kenya.Together they unpack the legal, public health and human rights dimensions of the ruling and discuss: What the Court of Appeal decided and why it matters The distinction between abortion and post-abortion care under Kenyan law How legal uncertainty and criminalization affect healthcare provision The disproportionate impact on women and girls in marginalized communities The role of misinformation, stigma and anti-rights narratives Legal and movement strategies as advocates prepare for a Supreme Court appealThe conversation also places the case in a wider global context, exploring ongoing struggles around sexual and reproductive justice, bodily autonomy and access to rights-based healthcare.
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  Menstrual Justice 28.05.2026 37min

  A SRHM Podcast conversation with Lizzie Kiama and Tara Mukeku-Cilolo for World Menstrual Health Day.Disability rights advocate Lizzie Kiama of This Ability Trust Kenya and Tara Mukeku-Cilolo of Fòs Feminista joined Eszter Kismodi of SRHM for a special podcast exploring how menstrual health intersects with inequality, disability justice, public policy, and community care.
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  Queering Health Systems: Call for Proposals 22.05.2026 34min

  In partnership with the University of the Western Cape School of Public Health, SRHM is excited to launch a call for proposals for a themed issue on Queering Health Systems.Shaped by a dynamic online consultation with organisations and experts across the field, this issue aims to spark bold, critical conversations and fresh perspectives on health policies and systems.In this episode, we connect directly with the editorial team and Guest Editors and get everything you need to submit with confidence.Whether you are an experienced researcher, practitioner, or emerging voice, this is your chance to contribute to a timely and important conversation.Read the full call for proposals here
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  People, Planet, and Rights: Connecting Climate Action and SRHR 15.05.2026 38min

  In this episode, Laura Ferguson is joined by Angela Baschieri and Martina Yopo Diaz to discuss the critical links between climate change and sexual and reproductive health and rights. From disrupted reproductive healthcare and climate-related displacement to eco-anxiety and changing fertility decisions, the conversation highlights how the climate crisis is deeply affecting reproductive lives worldwide.The episode also explores gaps in global policy frameworks, the unfinished agenda of the ICPD Programme of Action, and why equity, human rights, and meaningful participation must remain at the centre of climate action.A thoughtful discussion on justice, sustainability, and the future of reproductive rights in a changing world.Read From conception to care: a systematic review of the impact of the climate crisis on reproductive justiceby Martina Yopo Díaz, Valentina Gómez Aguirre and Loreto Watkins, published in Sexual and Reproductive Health MattersRead International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) Programme of Action and climate action: an intersecting agenda by Angela Baschieri and Chiagozie Udeh, published in Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters
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  RightsCon Cancelled: SRHR, Digital Rights, Misuse of Power, and the Demand for Accountability 08.05.2026 1h 9min

  In this SRHM podcast episode, Eszter Kismődi speaks with three outstanding leaders and experts working at the intersection of digital rights and sexual and reproductive justice. We were honoured to have Dr. Zahra Stardust, researcher at Queensland University of Technology’s Digital Media Research Centre; Martha Dimitratou, founder and Executive Director of Repro Uncensored; and Kali Sudhra, Executive Director of ESWA, European Sex Workers’ Rights Alliance, on the podcast to reflect on what happened behind the cancellation of RightsCon 2026 and why this matters profoundly for sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), digital justice, and democratic participation globally.Read the blog by Dr. Zahra Stardust 'Defending Sexual and Reproductive Rights in the Aftermath of the RightsCon Cancellation' at srhm.org.
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  Justice Beyond Jails: Rethinking Criminalisation, Accountability, and Responses to Gender-Based Violence 24.04.2026 38min

  What does justice look like beyond policing, prosecution, and prisons?In the latest SRHM Podcast, Eszter Kismődi speaks with Subha Wijesiriwardena and Susana T. Fried of Just Futures Collaborative about their new global campaign, Justice beyond Jails — an initiative rethinking responses to gender-based violence through rights-based, community-grounded approaches to safety and accountability.The episode explores the campaign’s innovative interactive storytelling tool, cross-movement collaborations, and why feminist and human rights movements are increasingly questioning criminalisation as the default response to violence.See the campaign at www.justfuturescollaborative.com/justice-beyond-jails
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  Hungary’s 12 April 2026 Elections: Personal and Professional Reflections Across Generations 14.04.2026 16min

  In this episode, we hear personal and professional reflections from Eszter Kismődi, Hungarian Citizen, International Human Rights Lawyer and Chief Executive of SRHM.Just hours after the elections results were announced, Eszter hosts a series of conversations bringing together legal, generational, and civic perspectives on this political moment and its implications for democracy, human rights, and public institutions.
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  The Constitutionalisation of Abortion in France and Beyond: Reflections Two Years On in a Global Context 04.04.2026 32min

  In this episode of the Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters (SRHM) Podcast, Eszter Kismődi speaks with Stéphanie Hennette-Vauchez, Professor of Public Law at Université Paris Nanterre and Senior Member of the Institut universitaire de France, about France’s landmark 2024 constitutional reform recognising abortion as a “guaranteed freedom,” as well as the subsequent December 2025 law acknowledging the harms caused by the criminalisation of abortion prior to 1975.
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  Reconnecting SRHR and Devlopment Justice: Launch of the Global South Coalition 27.03.2026 32min

  In this episode of the SRHM podcast, Eszter Kismődi, Chief Executive of SRHM, speaks with Professor Gita Sen, a globally recognised feminist economist from India whose work has been instrumental in shaping global debates linking gender equality, development justice, and SRHR.The conversation highlights both why it is timely and necessary to reconnect SRHR with development justice in the current global political moment, and the launch of the Global South Coalition for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights and Development Justice.Find out more about the Global South Coalition and the launch event on 31 March 2026 at srhrdevelopmentjustice.org
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  Intersecting Crises and Cross-sector Solutions: Environmental Justice and SRHR 20.03.2026 1h 15min

  This episode of the SRHM Podcast brings together leading experts to explore the intersections between environmental justice and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), in the context of the 70th session of the Commission on the Status of Women.Opening and closing remarks are delivered by Thoại D. Ngô, Harriet and Robert H. Heilbrunn Professor and Chair of the Heilbrunn Department of Population and Family Health at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. The discussion is moderated by Eszter Kismődi, Chief Executive of Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters.Speakers include Aleya Khalifa (Columbia University), Allan Achesa Maleche (Kenya Legal & Ethical Issues Network on HIV & AIDS), Neha Mankani (International Confederation of Midwives), Sai Jyothirmai Racherla (Asian-Pacific Resource and Research Centre for Women), and Marta Schaaf (Amnesty International).The episode examines how climate change, extractivism, land dispossession, and unequal resource governance intersect with economic inequality to shape SRHR outcomes, particularly for women and girls. It highlights accountability gaps and structural barriers to justice, while pointing to evidence-based, rights-driven pathways that advance equality, sustainability, and community wellbeing.
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  Power and authorship in gender and sexual and reproductive research 13.03.2026 31min

  Who produces knowledge on gender and sexual and reproductive health in Africa, and whose voices shape the evidence that informs policy and practice?In this episode of the SRHM Podcast, Sapna Desai, Editor-in-Chief of the SRHM Journal, speaks with researchers Woldekidan Amde and Kéfilath Bello about their recent scoping review examining authorship, geography, and funding in research on gender approaches to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) across Africa.Analysing 45 publications from 2012 to 2022, the study reveals striking imbalances. Most first and senior authors were based outside Africa, funding overwhelmingly came from high income countries, and over one fifth of papers had no local authors at all. These patterns raise critical questions about power in knowledge production, the credibility and relevance of research, and the ability of evidence to influence policy and practice locally.The conversation explores why these inequities persist despite growing calls to decolonise global health. It also looks at what must change: strengthening local research ecosystems, expanding mentoring for early career researchers, supporting south–south collaboration, and ensuring equitable funding and authorship practices.Together, the speakers reflect on how more locally led, contextually grounded research is essential not only for equity, but for better quality knowledge and meaningful change in sexual and reproductive health.Read the full paper, 'Imbalances in authorship, geographic and institutional contexts, and funding sources in research on gender approaches to sexual and reproductive health in Africa: a scoping review' by Woldekidan Amde, Kéfilath Bello, Tanya Jacobs, TK Sundari Ravindran & Asha S. George at srhmjournal.org.
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  Survival strategies and health repercussions in forced displacement: Transactional sex in focus 24.02.2026 35min

  In this episode of the Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters Podcast, Eszter Kismődi speaks with Dr Shirin Heidari and Professor Monica A. Onyango about their multi-country study, Survival Strategies and Health Repercussions in Forced Displacement. Drawing on research conducted between 2021 and 2024 in Jordan, Lebanon, Türkiye, Greece and Switzerland, they examine how transactional sex emerges within conditions of legal precarity, restricted asylum regimes, housing insecurity and limited access to work and services. The conversation challenges binary notions of “choice” and “force”, highlights intersecting health consequences including sexual and reproductive health outcomes, and calls for integrated, rights-based responses grounded in lived realities.Read the full paper at srhmjournal.org.