PRAVO DETETA NA USLUGE POVERLjIVOG SAVETOVANjA IZ DOMENA SEKSUALNOG I REPRODUKTIVNOG ZDRAVLjA

Abstract

Adolescence is the final childhood stage, but extremely sensitive period. By entering puberty, widening social relationships and searching for the personal identity, a child has been rapidly gone through physical and psychological changes. Thus, transition to adulthood poses serious challenges, particularly in domains of sexual and reproductive health preservation and protection. Therefore, the right of a child to health includes also the application of the right to confidential medical counselling and advice in order to assist children so they can enjoy adequate level of sexual and reproductive autonomy in accordance with their evolving capacities and the best interests of the child. Although, confidential counselling service is provided primarily by adequate medical institutions, the obligation to provide children with information on sexual and reproductive health risks is much wider. Beside the parental duties regarding upbringing of children, it is highly important to introduce compulsory education on sexual and reproductive health in school curriculum. The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child recommended Serbia to develop comprehensive and ageappropriate education in this field which is necessary having in mind discouraging data on adolescent sexual and reproductive autonomy enjoyment in our society. Adolescents have the right to access to services of confidential counselling even without consent of their parents or legal representatives. However, the child’s best interests and their right to life, survival and development imply that parents must be provided with information in cases of serious dangers to life and health of the child.