top of page
Resources on SRHR and COVID-19
ABOUT TARSHI
​

At TARSHI (Talking About Reproductive and Sexual Health Issues), we believe that all people have the right to sexual wellbeing and to a self-affirming and enjoyable sexuality. We support and enable people's control and agency over their sexual and reproductive health and wellbeing. We work on sexual and reproductive health and rights, without restricting it to a disease-prevention, violence against women or sexual minorities framework, but rather approaching issues of sexuality from a broader and an affirmative, rights-based perspective.

 

TARSHI is currently (2019 – 2025) also working towards creating Safe, Inclusive, Sexuality-Affirming, or SISA spaces. A SISA space offers an environment that is non-judgmental, rights-based and sexuality-affirming, where people can feel safe and free from fear to talk about, learn about and/or experience their sexuality and sexual wellbeing. It is an ideal we wish to work towards, where sexuality is no longer surrounded by shame or taboo.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had unprecedented impact on all aspects of people’s lives, including on their Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR). Organisations working on gender, SRHR, and interconnected issues on rights of people with disabilities, people who are LGBTQIA+, have been creating resources and holding conversations on the impact of COVID-19 on various facets of SRHR. This page is an attempt to curate such resources based on their topic of focus. 

 

The resources are primarily from India, although we have also included resources that reflect global or Global South concerns. Our resources cover sexuality and SRHR, gender, self-care and wellbeing, marginalised communities. We have also included miscellaneous resources that we think could be useful, even if they are not particularly focused on sexuality. Finally, we have also included a section for those who want to seek help or offer support in these testing times. 

 

The resources are not arranged according to any particular date. We update the list every Tuesday, and the table is sorted by old to new resources. 

 

A quick note before you dig into the resources: The resources are primarily in English, except for those cases where the resource itself has been translated into other languages by those who developed it. While we have made all efforts to only include resources that reflect a rights-based approach to sexuality, we are not responsible for the content of these resources or other resources that the organisation may be developing. If you have developed or are aware of any other interesting, reliable resources that we can add to this list, do send us the details at tarshiweb@tarshi.net. Thank you!

In this page, we document resources that generally address Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) issues that are likely to come up (or have already come up) during COVID-19 times. This list includes resources developed for anyone who is curious about the impact of COVID-19 on SRHR. If you are looking for resources specific to marginalised groups, on gender or sexuality, please choose from the tabs above. 
As the pandemic and its effects change shape through the days, the need for self-care and maintaining wellbeing is paramount. Here are a few resources that offer tips on maintaining mental health, to destress or, in some cases, take steps to protect ourselves in challenging circumstances. Some resources are specifically for queer people and service providers, while others are general.
Many of us require help for various reasons during the pandemic - be it for improving our mental health, or to address major issues caused by the lockdown. In this section, we are compiling services that one can consider for seeking help, and avenues of offering help to others. The resources have been sorted based on the types of people they cater to, such as those for women and girls who are facing domestic violence, people with disabilities or their caregivers, survivors of Child Sexual Abuse or incest, among others.
This page compiles resources on the impact of COVID-19 on the lives of people through the lens of gender. It also includes resources on the ‘shadow pandemic’ of gender-based violence that has increased since lockdowns were imposed across the world to contain the spread of the disease. The resources are primarily for a general audience, although some are created for service providers working on gender issues, and policymakers to account for the gender-specific effects of the pandemic.
In this page we document the specific concerns that people from marginalised communities have - both general and specifically on sexuality and SRHR. So far, we have included resources on people with disabilities and people from indigenous communities. We will continue to add more resources in the coming days.
There are many wonderful resources we want to share with you that do not strictly fall under a particular category we had envisaged, so we have put them here. We hope you enjoy this list. It includes resources from or for the public, for healthcare professionals and scientists, for parents, and for journalists, among others.
bottom of page