Celebrating World Sexual Health Day 2026
On September 8, the Women’s Health Research Institute (WHRI), in partnership with Options for Sexual Health, welcomed researchers, trainees and health-care professionals for World Sexual Health Day 2026.
The hybrid event featured 12 rapid-fire presentations showcasing research across sexual health education, equitable access to care, disease prevention, sexual function and genito-pelvic pain.
WHRI Executive Director Dr. Gillian Hanley opened the event by reflecting on the history of WHRI’s World Sexual Health Day celebration and how sexual health is still often positioned as secondary to reproductive health.
Dr. Lori Brotto, Professor in the UBC Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Director of the UBC Sexual Health Research Lab, emphasized the importance of sexual rights, justice and pleasure. Speaking to presenters, she affirmed that their work is “not niche” and “not a footnote,” but rather an integral aspect of overall health and well-being.
Dr. Katrina Bouchard, Assistant Professor in the UBC Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Director of the Psychology, Health and Sexuality (PHASE) Lab, introduced the PHASE lab and its work to advance sexual and vulvar health and well-being. Ashleigh Turner, Communications & Community Engagement Director, Options for Sexual Health, and Azin Pourlashkari, Clinical Operations Manager, Options for Sexual Health, also shared how research informs frontline services offered by Options for Sexual Health, including IUD insertion training for Options nurses and its Sex Sense service.
Continuing Sexual Justice
The World Association for Sexual Health (WAS) offers a comprehensive sexual justice resource page covering key areas that support the ongoing conversation around sexual justice.
The resource page includes accessible, evidence-based information on a wide range of topics, including sexual and reproductive rights and LGBTQ+ adolescents. These resources are designed to empower individuals with the knowledge to promote sexual well-being—not just on World Sexual Health Day, but in everyday life.
Meet the WSHD 2025 Presenters
Presentations covered themes of equity and access, inclusive sexual health, prevention and screening, and sexual function and management. Scroll below to meet the presenters and explore their topics.
Group 1: Equity, Access and Inclusive Sexual Health
“Centering Adolescent Voices in Digital Contraceptive Services in Sub-Saharan Africa”
Agnes Kyamulabi is a PhD student in Women+ and Children’s Health Sciences at the University of British Columbia. Her research focuses on advancing equitable sexual and reproductive health care, particularly for underrepresented groups, through research on endometriosis, pelvic pain, dyspareunia, contraception and digital health.
“Mapping the Evidence on Sexual Pleasure Among Girls and Women with Physical Disabilities: A Rapid Scoping Review”
Rayna Adachi is a Master of Public Health student at the University of Toronto. She conducted this rapid scoping review as part of her practicum placement in Dr. Amy McPherson’s ProFILE Lab at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital.
“Strategies for Rural Abortion Care Provision in British Columbia: Preliminary Results of a Qualitative Investigation”
Nazanin Sadoughian is a Research Assistant with the Contraception and Abortion Research Team at the University of British Columbia, where she supports research focused on advancing access to abortion for underserved populations.
“It’s a Beautiful Thing to Be Able to Take Care of Ourselves and to Take Care of Each Other: How Queer and Trans Youth’s Experiences Can Inform Sex Education for All”
Stevie Thompson and Yas Botelho are Master of Science students with the RE-IMAGYN BC project at Simon Fraser University. Their work is supervised by Dr. Angela Kaida and Dr. Kalysha Closson.
Group 2: Prevention, Screening and Sexual Health Promotion
“High Awareness, Low Uptake: Barriers to Cervical Cancer Screening in Mayuge District, Uganda”
Audrey Esemezie is a fourth-year medical student at the University of British Columbia. Her research on cervical cancer in Uganda is supervised by Dr. Hallie Dau, Candice Ruck, Dr. Smritee Dabee and Dr. Gina Ogilvie.
“HPV and HPV Vaccine Awareness in Indigenous Communities in Northwest Territories, Canada”
Afsaneh Omidimorad is a Health Advocate at HPV Global Action and a PhD candidate with the Indigenous and Global Health Research Group at the University of Alberta under the supervision of Dr. Sangita Sharma.
“Cervical Cancer Prevention in Low-Resource Settings: Addressing Inequities Across the Prevention Continuum”
Nour Abdelaziz is a medical student at the University of Nicosia with research interests in women’s health, preventive medicine, and health equity. She aspires to pursue a career in obstetrics and gynecology.
Group 3: Sexual Function and Management
“Understanding the AI Navigator: Comparing an Intervention-Informed AI Chatbot with ChatGPT in a Digital Sexual Health Intervention for Women”
Darya Mirrazavi is an MSc student in Women+ and Children’s Health Sciences at the University of British Columbia under the supervision of Dr. Lori Brotto. Her research interests include virtual reality and artificial intelligence applications in sexual health.
“Where Attention Goes: Mindfulness, Visual Attention, and Sexual Response”
Elizabeth Zhao is a Research Volunteer with Dr. Lori Brotto’s UBC Sexual Health Research Lab. She works on the LEMON study, which examines mindfulness, visual attention and sexual response in women.
“International Consensus on Physiotherapy Core Domains of Practice and Treatments for Genito-Pelvic Pain: A Delphi Study”
Jodie Pulsifer is a practicing pelvic health physiotherapist and PhD candidate under the supervision of Dr. Lori Brotto in the UBC Sexual Health Research Lab and Dr. Linda McLean at the University of Ottawa Motor Function Measurement Lab.
“Associations Between Oral Contraceptive Use and Vulvovaginal Pain: Protocol for a Systematic Review of Etiology and Risk”
Lucy Perkins is a fourth-year undergraduate student at the University of British Columbia and a research assistant with the PHASE Lab under the supervision of Dr. Katrina Bouchard.
“Vulvodynia and Provoked Vestibulodynia in Endometriosis: An Underexplored Dimension of Sexual Health”
Vanina Veeraragoo is a medical student at the University of Nicosia who aspires to pursue a career in obstetrics and gynecology. Her research interests include endometriosis, chronic pelvic pain and female sexual health.
Celebrating this year’s award recipients
At the conclusion of the presentations, Ashleigh Turner and Azin Pourlashkari from Options for Sexual Health presented the Best Presentation Awards to Nazanin Sadoughian and Jodie Pulsifer for their contributions to research on rural abortion access and genito-pelvic pain treatment guidance.
Thank you
Thank you to Jodie Pulsifer, Roberta Galizia and Kate Hunk for moderating this year’s presentation sessions and guiding the discussions and audience Q&A.
connect with the WHRI
We also extend our thanks to the UBC Sexual Health Research Lab, Options for Sexual Health, SHAPE, our presenters, volunteers and attendees for making World Sexual Health Day 2026 possible.
We look forward to continuing these important conversations and gathering again in 2027!
- If you weren’t able to attend, please check out the recording on our YouTube channel.
- Check out some photos from social.