About WAS and WSHD

The World Association for Sexual Health (WAS) 

Since 1978, the World Association for Sexual Health (WAS) has been the pre-eminent global organization concerned with sexual health and rights. Our membership represents thousands of experienced as well as trainee sexologists from a variety of disciplines. With biennial congresses held in different regions of the world, WAS has facilitated sexual health through education, health promotion and networking for over three decades. In the recent years, WAS constituency has also become involved in advocating changes in public policy to recognize sexual health and rights as key ingredients in overall health and social justice. Financial support from individuals, foundations, corporations, and governments has sustained this work around the world.

WAS works to promote sexual health for all. Sexual health is a goal not only for the clinicians. It is the common goal of many disciplines. Sexuality education is meant to foster human development and facilitate sexually healthy lives for people at all stages of the life cycle.

Image from left to right: Pedro Nobre (Immediate Past-President of WAS), Faysal Faysal-el-Kak (inaugural president of the proposed new WAS Federation in the North-Africa and Middle-East region), Lianne Gonsalves (WAS' official liaison with WHO) and Anne Philpott (Founder of WAS Member Organisation The Pleasure Project)
Image from left to right: Pedro Nobre (Immediate Past-President of WAS), Faysal Faysal-el-Kak (inaugural president of the proposed new WAS Federation in the North-Africa and Middle-East region), Lianne Gonsalves (WAS' official liaison with WHO) and Anne Philpott (Founder of WAS Member Organisation The Pleasure Project)

World Sexual Health Day

Guided by then-President Rosemary Coates of Australia, WAS launched the first World Sexual Health Day in 2010 to bring the global community together to promote sexual health and well-being. A key element of these efforts is recognizing sexual health within a human rights framework as outlined 25 years ago in the landmark Declaration of Sexual Rights. WAS called all their organizations to celebrate World Sexual Health Day on each September 4th in an effort to promote a greater social awareness on sexual health across the globe.

Each year, WSHD focuses on a different theme. The first World Sexual Health Day theme was “Let’s talk about it,” a message designed to  start breaking fears and taboos surrounding sexuality.

Political Impact of WSHD

Governments across the globe celebrate World Sexual Health Day. Some localities have even made it official. For example, the state of Jalisco in Mexico issued a declaration naming September 4 as the State Sexual Health Day (Día Estatal de la Salud Sexual). Additionally, the Portuguese Parliament voted unanimously to declare September 4  National Sexual Health Day.

Jalisco
Portugal

Past WSHD Themes

  • 2024 Positive Relationships
  • 2023 Consent
  • 2022 Let’s Talk Pleasure
  • 2021 Turn it on (Sexual Health in a digital world)
  • 2020 Sexual Pleasure in Times of COVID-19
  • 2019 Sexuality Education for all: a bridge to sexual health
  • 2018 Sexual Health and Sexual Rights are FUNDAMENTAL for well-being – Celebrating 40 years of the World Association for Sexual Health
  • 2017 Love, bonding and intimacy, a possibility for all
  • 2016 Sexual Health: Eliminating the Myths
  • 2015 Sexual Health for a fairer society
  • 2014 Sexual health: The well-being of sexuality
  • 2013 To achieve sexual health, picture yourself owning your sexual rights!
  • 2012 In a diverse world, sexual health for all!
  • 2011 Youth’s sexual health: Shared rights and responsibilities.
  • 2010 Let’s talk about it!