Young people from Brazil and Cape Verde exchange experiences in sex education and community communication
The Brazil-Cape Verde Workshop: Educomunication and Sex Education begins this Thursday (26/09) at 5pm. Promoted by UNESCO and the Youth Expression Program, the event will allow the exchange of experiences between young people from Cape Verde, protagonists of good practice in sex education in schools, and those of Ceilândia and Sobradinho 2, who have been recognized for their actions in community communication, health promotion and reducing youth violence.
During the encounter, taking place in Brasilia until 02/10, the young Cape Verdeans will get to know the main areas of activity of the Youth Expression Program, visiting schools around the Federal District (DF) that are developing activities in prevention and participating in educommunication workshops as well as workshops with young Brazilians living with AIDS. They will also go over the issues of Sexual Rights and Reproductive Rights in these workshops, giving young Brazilians the opportunity to incorporate new insights into their health communication activities.
Youth Expression is a social program promoting the health of young people between 18 and 29 to reduce their exposure to violence and their vulnerability to STD/Aids and fostering entrepreneurship. It is supported by the Caixa Seguros Group in partnership with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO in Brazil), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Union of Favelas of the Federal District (Kufa /DF).
Sex Education
UNESCO's mission is to offer technical cooperation to the Brazilian Ministries of Education and Health on issues related to prevention education for STDs, HIV and teenage pregnancy and health promotion in schools. The goal is to integrate the education and health sectors focusing on promoting the sexual and reproductive health of young students.
According to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) figures, 97.4% of 6 to 14 year-olds have access to school in Brazil, regardless of their family’s economic situation, while the figure for 15 to 19 year-olds is 87.7%. 89.4% of students in private schools and 87.5% of public school students say they receive guidance on STDs and AIDS, while 71.4% of public school students and 65.8% from private schools receive guidance on how to get free condoms.
"School should be the place that provides the best health training for the individual. It's no use avoiding, hiding or running away from the subject.
It is better to confront it, to teach boys and girls and instruct them on how to protect themselves from disease and illness. This is the smart and healthy option, providing the expertise to those who need it", says Mariana Braga, Education Officer from UNESCO in Brazil. According to her, teenage pregnancy increased by 15% between 1980 and 2000 and is now the leading cause of school dropouts among girls in Brazil (10.8% of the total). AIDS cases are also a concern, as young people (13-29 year-olds) make up 27.6% of HIV carriers in the country.
Contact for more information:
UNESCO in Brazil – Communication Unit
Ana Lúcia Guimarães, (61) 2106-3536 e (61) 2106-3538
Vinícius Carvalho, (61) 9823-4020
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