How to deliver a pleasure-based SRHR course: Integrating Pleasure Principles into advocacy and practice

Through participant engagement and facilitation of pleasure-based courses, several key challenges became evident. 

1. Limited language and confidence.
   Many advocates support the idea of integrating pleasure into SRHR work but struggle with how to speak about it clearly and professionally. There is usual hesitation around terminology, fear of saying “the wrong thing,” and uncertainty about how to frame pleasure within policy and advocacy spaces.
2. Perception of pleasure as external or “Western.”
   A recurring theme is the belief that pleasure-based approaches are foreign to African and Asian contexts. This perception has been reinforced by colonial legacies, conservative interpretations of culture and religion, and global health narratives that focus primarily on disease prevention. As a result, advocates often feel pressured to distance themselves from pleasure-focused language to maintain credibility.
3. Overemphasis on risk and prevention in SRHR programming.
   Many organisations and advocates are trained to focus on negative outcomes; HIV, unintended pregnancy, violence etc. without addressing the full spectrum of sexual wellbeing. This narrow framing can unintentionally reinforce shame and stigma and limit the effectiveness of behaviour change efforts.
4. Organisational discomfort and internal resistance.
   Some participants often reflect that even within their own organisations, pleasure is rarely discussed openly. Integrating pleasure-based approaches would require internal dialogue, alignment, and sometimes shifts in long-standing messaging strategies.
5. Limited guidance on measurement and integration.
   While advocates see the value of pleasure-positive approaches, they lack practical examples of how to measure impact, integrate pleasure indicators, or justify this work within existing donor frameworks.

These challenges demonstrate that integrating pleasure into SRHR is not simply a content shift, it requires changes in mindset, narrative framing, internal confidence, and systems thinking. 

The Pleasure Series was intentionally designed to move participants from reflection to confidence to integration. Rather than beginning with theory alone, the course created a structured and safe environment for unlearning and dialogue. 

1. Establishing safety and shared agreements.
   Each session began by setting clear expectations around confidentiality and code of conduct, reinforcing that the space was one of respect, curiosity, and non-judgment. This foundation allowed participants to explore discomfort without fear of backlash thus advocates were more willing to question assumptions and engage honestly.
2. Reframing pleasure through culture and history.
   To address the perception that pleasure is “Western,” the course highlighted pre-colonial African and Asian traditions where sexuality was recognised as communal, spiritual, and relational. By grounding pleasure within participants’ own cultural histories, the narrative shifted from importation to reclamation. This approach strengthened legitimacy and confidence.
3. Building practical language skills.
   Interactive exercises, including scenario-based discussions and breakout sessions, allowed participants to practice articulating pleasure-positive messaging in realistic situations. Rather than abstract discussion, advocates experimented with how to speak about consent, desire, and agency in ways that were rights-based and context sensitive.
4. Linking pleasure to rights and public health outcomes.
   The course positioned pleasure not as an optional add on, but as integral to safer sex, agency, and dignity. Participants examined how centering pleasure can improve uptake of protection, strengthen consent conversations, and deepen connection in programming. This helped reframe pleasure as aligned with, not opposed to, public health goals.
5. Integrating evidence and measurement.
   In the final phase of the series, participants explored how pleasure can be meaningfully integrated into programme design and monitoring frameworks. This addressed concerns about donor justification and helped translate values into measurable practice.

As a result, participants reported increased confidence in discussing pleasure professionally, greater clarity on integrating sex-positive messaging into their advocacy strategies, and a renewed commitment to aligning their work with the full spectrum of sexual wellbeing. 

Participants came to understand that pleasure is not separate from SRHR, it is foundational to it. One of the most significant shifts was recognising that excluding pleasure from programming can unintentionally reinforce stigma, silence, and incomplete narratives around sexuality.

Advocates learned that integrating pleasure does not mean abandoning prevention or public health priorities. Instead, it strengthens them. Centering pleasure and agency can improve consent conversations, increase uptake of protection, and create more honest and empowering engagement with young people and communities. 

Participants also reflected on their own internal biases and comfort levels. For many, the learning journey began with personal reflection, examining how culture, religion, professional training, and global health narratives had shaped their understanding of sexuality. This self-awareness proved essential before attempting programmatic change. 

Importantly, advocates left with practical tools: clearer language for discussing pleasure, strategies for navigating conservative pushback, and ideas for embedding pleasure indicators within existing monitoring frameworks. The course reinforced that meaningful integration requires both courage and structure, confidence in narrative, and clarity in implementation. 

Ultimately, participants recognised that pleasure-positive SRHR is not about being provocative, it is about being honest, holistic, and rights-based. 

1. Start with reflection before strategy.
   Before introducing pleasure into programming, create space for personal and organisational reflection. Encourage teams to examine their own comfort levels, assumptions, and biases. Integrating pleasure begins with mindset shifts, not messaging adjustments. 
2. Establish safety before depth.
   Conversations about pleasure can surface vulnerability and discomfort. Set clear confidentiality agreements and codes of conduct from the outset. Psychological safety enables courageous dialogue. 
3. Reclaim culture, don’t import language.
   Counter the perception that pleasure is “Western” by grounding discussions in local histories and traditions. Highlight pre-colonial practices and community knowledge systems that recognised sexuality as relational and communal. Framing pleasure as reclamation strengthens legitimacy. 
4. Build language through practice.
   Provide advocates with opportunities to rehearse real life scenarios. Role play, breakout discussions, and messaging exercises help participants develop confidence in speaking about consent, desire, and agency in ways that are context-sensitive and rights-based. 
5. Link pleasure to existing priorities.
   Avoid presenting pleasure as a competing agenda. Instead, demonstrate how pleasure strengthens safer sex practices, supports consent, reduces stigma, and enhances programme uptake. Align the narrative with existing SRHR and public health goals. 
6. Integrate measurement early.
   Advocates often hesitate because they cannot see how to measure impact. Introduce practical ways to embed pleasure related indicators within existing monitoring and evaluation frameworks. This strengthens donor confidence and programme sustainability. 

Integrating pleasure into SRHR work is not about shifting away from urgency, it is about deepening it. When we centre pleasure, we affirm agency, dignity, and the full humanity of the communities we serve. 

In contexts where sexuality is often framed through fear or harm, pleasure-based approaches offer an opportunity to reshape narratives toward empowerment and honesty. This shift requires courage, but it also creates more sustainable and impactful programming. 

As more advocates embrace pleasure-positive approaches, we strengthen a movement that recognises sexual wellbeing as holistic, culturally grounded, and inseparable from human rights.