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23 February 2010

On sex and sex ed

SRADDA THAPA

The shy glances, muffled words and awkward giggles that might have otherwise been expected of rural teenagers were replaced with the confidence and eloquence of mature young adults.

Female students who recounted stories of being shoo-ed away by male teachers who felt too awkward to go over details in population and health classes were on the streets educating passers-by about AIDS and organizing street dramas about safe sex.

According to one young woman, “With this organization, we were able to learn and talk more openly about these things, I learned that we did not need to be shy; that sex and sexuality were natural”.

The Family Planning Association of Nepal (FPAN) has been working and advocating for the Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) and Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) to be made available to the young people across the country.

Established in 1959, FPAN now works in 42 districts, and envisions a world where every woman, man and young person has the right and access to sexuality and reproductive health information and service. In a country where even educated young men, like one in Sunsari, described, “Before coming to FPAN, I thought in order to have safe sex you were supposed to wear a condom all day,” the effort of the organization must be applauded.

As a matter of principle, FPAN attempts to target female youth volunteers, whether with an intended ratio of 4:1 in Bhiman (Mahottari) or 3:2 in Jhumka (Sunsari) – always in favor of women.

It is evident, through their work, that FPAN has presented young adults with more than just reliable sex education; they have achieved something of arguably more profound impact.

Meeting with four different youth groups of 10 plus members, it was obvious that the longer the adolescents had been involved with FPAN, the more their confidence soared! Raising your voice, expressing yourself and engaging in meaningful conversation while staying open to criticism are skills Nepalis all over the country would benefit from.

Between education scholarships divvied out to vulnerable members of the community and “Friday classes” where the youth took it upon themselves to head to neighboring
government high schools and host casual conversation on an otherwise taboo topic – sex and sexuality - the organization seems to have left a positive mark in various communities.

Young men and women walking about town challenging the community; handing out free condoms and speaking about safe sex – just imagine that! But, it’s not all glorious as one female youth explains, “When people started spreading rumors about how I was involved in AIDS awareness campaign because I too was infected, I got my blood tested to prove that I wasn’t HIV + and I showed the reports to prove myself”

Take misconceptions like that which community members can hold against such young activists and the concern that Kamal Tara, the central office Program Officer voices and you too may raise an eyebrow.

Tara explains a new curriculum policy draft by the National Curriculum Structure 2063 the ‘Environment, Population and Health’ made available at government schools may soon be scrapped altogether.

According to her, dumping issues of sex and sexuality into any old Science course could prove detrimental. It is already considered awkward by some teachers, this new syllabi may permit even more to skim or avoid it altogether.

Accurate and relevant Comprehensive Sexuality Education (the above mentioned CSE) is the priority of FPAN. Where the government health and public education sectors have failed, FPAN has excelled.

However, applauding FPAN alone is not adequate, citizens must question why has this basic education – perhaps the responsibility of the family, but where not feasible, the responsibility of the government – has been handed over to NGOs.

As a community member in Itahari (Sunsari) pointed out, “We have the government health post to go to, but I don’t know that they even deliver babies as they claim to”.

Further down the East-West Highway a government doctor in Bardibas (Mahottari) notes his appreciation of the health care provided by FPAN and suggests FPAN also conducts HIV tests during pre-natal check ups.

This little fact alone begs us to question the role and responsibility that the government is too happy to pass on and NGOs too pleased to note as their success story in annual reports. Simply dishing over contraceptive pills to FPAN for the latter to distribute is not what the people deserve from the leaders and why they cast their votes.

A private-public-community, a three way partnership is key strategy to affordable, accessible and quality health care at the grassroots and national level. FPAN’s efforts to provide sex and sexuality education to young adults compliment the (perhaps meager) course government classes offer at public schools.

Such a collaboration needs to be increased, in the number of projects, and strengthened in the quality of services offered, not dumped onto the plate of just one to tackle single-handedly.

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