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Care That Cannot Wait - Asylum Seekers’ Access to Sexual and Reproductive Health Care in Sweden

Vestman, Wilma LU (2025) LAGM01 20251
Department of Law
Faculty of Law
Abstract
Health inequality and unequal access to health care remain significant problems in Sweden. Migrants report enjoying a lower level of health, both in general and specifically in regard to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), as recognised by the Swedish Public Health Agency in their 2020 National Strategy. As a subgroup, asylum seekers find themselves at a particularly high vulnerability and disadvantage. Several binding regional frameworks such as the European Convention on Human Rights, the Revised European Social Charter, the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, the Reception Conditions Directive and the Racial Equality Directive protect the right to equal access to health care. Yet, asylum seekers face... (More)
Health inequality and unequal access to health care remain significant problems in Sweden. Migrants report enjoying a lower level of health, both in general and specifically in regard to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), as recognised by the Swedish Public Health Agency in their 2020 National Strategy. As a subgroup, asylum seekers find themselves at a particularly high vulnerability and disadvantage. Several binding regional frameworks such as the European Convention on Human Rights, the Revised European Social Charter, the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, the Reception Conditions Directive and the Racial Equality Directive protect the right to equal access to health care. Yet, asylum seekers face multiple persistent challenges in accessing sexual and reproductive health care in Sweden.

Utilising a Reproductive Justice lens, this thesis identifies key barriers, in law and in practice, that prevent asylum seekers in Sweden from accessing sexual and reproductive health care. The thesis provides an analysis of applicable domestic legislation, implementation challenges, and structural issues in order to assess Sweden’s compliance with its Council of Europe and EU obligations. Limited legal access, financial barriers, linguistic inaccessibility and prevalence of racism and xenophobia in health care settings are found to significantly hamper asylum seekers’ access to sexual and reproductive health care in Sweden, likely contributing to their disadvantage as regards SRHR. The analysis demonstrates that these barriers challenge Sweden’s compliance with multiple binding provisions of the European frameworks. Finally, the thesis emphasises the need for swift and comprehensive measures in order to increase compliance and ensure asylum seekers’ equal access to the sexual and reproductive health care they are entitled to. (Less)
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author
Vestman, Wilma LU
supervisor
organization
course
LAGM01 20251
year
type
H3 - Professional qualifications (4 Years - )
subject
language
English
id
9198824
date added to LUP
2025-06-18 11:25:42
date last changed
2025-06-18 11:25:42
@misc{9198824,
  abstract     = {{Health inequality and unequal access to health care remain significant problems in Sweden. Migrants report enjoying a lower level of health, both in general and specifically in regard to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), as recognised by the Swedish Public Health Agency in their 2020 National Strategy. As a subgroup, asylum seekers find themselves at a particularly high vulnerability and disadvantage. Several binding regional frameworks such as the European Convention on Human Rights, the Revised European Social Charter, the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, the Reception Conditions Directive and the Racial Equality Directive protect the right to equal access to health care. Yet, asylum seekers face multiple persistent challenges in accessing sexual and reproductive health care in Sweden.

Utilising a Reproductive Justice lens, this thesis identifies key barriers, in law and in practice, that prevent asylum seekers in Sweden from accessing sexual and reproductive health care. The thesis provides an analysis of applicable domestic legislation, implementation challenges, and structural issues in order to assess Sweden’s compliance with its Council of Europe and EU obligations. Limited legal access, financial barriers, linguistic inaccessibility and prevalence of racism and xenophobia in health care settings are found to significantly hamper asylum seekers’ access to sexual and reproductive health care in Sweden, likely contributing to their disadvantage as regards SRHR. The analysis demonstrates that these barriers challenge Sweden’s compliance with multiple binding provisions of the European frameworks. Finally, the thesis emphasises the need for swift and comprehensive measures in order to increase compliance and ensure asylum seekers’ equal access to the sexual and reproductive health care they are entitled to.}},
  author       = {{Vestman, Wilma}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Care That Cannot Wait - Asylum Seekers’ Access to Sexual and Reproductive Health Care in Sweden}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}