–to launch comprehensive sexuality education toolkit today

By Telesha Ramnarine

THE Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association (GRPA) feels that Guyana’s ‘Abstinence Only’ approach to sex education has not been working and a deeper approach to fit today’s society is needed. Therefore, GRPA has developed a comprehensive sexuality education toolkit, which will be launched today when the organization joins members of the International Planned Parenthood

Federation (IPPF) in 170 countries around the world to launch the “Know It, Own It!” campaign.

According to GRPA’s Programme Director, Renuka Anandjit, in an invited comment to this newspaper, the thrust of the campaign is to ensure that the rights of youths are upheld and to motivate government and stakeholders to design programmes to meet their needs.

GRPA is hoping that the toolkit will be a resource of the Ministry of Education, Public Health, partners and other stakeholders. The launch will be at 3:30pm at Cara Lodge, Quamina Street, Georgetown.

Executive Director, Patricia Sheerattan-Bisnauth gave credit to Red Thread for helping the organization to develop the toolkit, as she noted how the GRPA is joining with the global campaign to reach as many persons and communities as possible with educational and empowering messages on why their sexual rights and health matter.

Meanwhile, a release from GRPA said: “In recent years GRPA has been calling for a shift from the abstinence only approach to a comprehensive approach to sex education, taking into consideration the urgency of the current situation, where young people are becoming sexually active at a very tender age, both forced and voluntarily, and where teenage pregnancy, sexual violence and irresponsible sexual behaviour are prevalent throughout Guyana.”

ADOLESCENT PREGNANCY
GRPA observed that in 2014, the Guyana Government endorsed the CARICOM Integrated Strategic Framework for the Reduction of Adolescent Pregnancy in the Caribbean, but the implementation mechanisms are still to be established. “We would be happy to support initiatives of the Guyana Government, partners and other stakeholders, with the hope that the Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) will be widely introduced in schools,” GRPA said.

“The Association will seek to further engage the government, civil society and faith-based organisations to propel the Comprehensive Sexuality Agenda for the benefit of in-and-out-of-school youth. It is our hope that under the ‘Know It, Own It Campaign’, GRPA and partners will be able to meaningfully engage stakeholders and also provide access to CSE for young people in and out of school, in an age appropriate and culturally relevant manner, and that this effort will result in a healthier youth population and a healthier nation,” GRPA said.