DIGITAL STORYTELLING ON REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS: ADVANCING CRITICAL AWARENESS AND EQUITY

Abstrak

Reproductive rights are a fundamental aspect of human rights, yet in Indonesia this issue is often narrowly perceived as women’s issues. Among university students, including future health professionals, limited literacy and persistent stigma restrict critical engagement with reproductive health and equity. This study explores how digital storytelling can serve as a transformative pedagogical tool to foster critical awareness and collective responsibility for reproductive rights. A qualitative case study was conducted with 25 students from five departments of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universitas Jambi. Data were collected through focus group discussions, participant observation, and documentation of  digital storytelling. Thematic analysis was employed to identify key dimensions of students’ interpretations and reflections. Five interrelated themes emerged: (1) bodily autonomy and courage to speak against stigma; (2) justice and partner involvement in reproductive health access; (3) universal access and solidarity across regions; (4) cultural barriers of stigma, silence, and discrimination; and (5) hope for equity through youth agency, educational innovation, and father involvement. Students recognized reproductive rights as a collective responsibility requiring individual courage, relational support, systemic equity, and intergenerational engagement. Digital storytelling facilitated critical reflection and the production of inclusive narratives that challenged gender bias and cultural taboos. Digital storytelling is an effective educational approach to foster critical awareness and advance reproductive health equity among future health professionals. This method offers an alternative pathway to instill a more humanistic and inclusive understanding of reproductive health issues.