The Liberation of Sex: Liberation Theology as Defense for FBO-Distributed Comprehensive Sex Education and Contraceptives in Honduras

Abstract

Poor sexual and reproductive health (SRH) is highly correlated with poverty and is a form of social injustice. As one of the poorest countries in the world, Honduras particularly struggles with promoting SRH among its female population, reflected by restrictive SRH policies and its disconcerting SRH indicators, like unintended adolescent pregnancy. Faith-based organizations (FBOs) play an increasingly large role in international development and global health initiatives and are prevalent in Latin America and the Caribbean, including Honduras. Because Christian theology proscribes extramarital sexual relations and Roman Catholic theology strictly forbids contraception, FBOs operating under these directives often implement abstinence-only programs that do not achieve their desired outcomes for improved SRH, and sometimes even exacerbate problems like UAP and STI incidence. Liberation theology demands that Christian FBOs working in Honduras provide comprehensive sex education and contraceptives to Honduran adolescent women to adequately address reproductive injustice.