Gender-based violence (GBV) violates human rights and affects sexual and reproductive health (SRH). Widely prevalent and socially silenced in most Asian-Pacific countries, GBV is increasingly recognised as a major public health concern in the region.
GBV restricts choices and decision-making of those who experience it, curtailing their rights across their life cycle to access critical SRH information and services. It is a risk factor for sexually transmitted infections (STI), including HIV, and unwanted pregnancy, in addition to causing direct physical and mental health consequences.
