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Journalists urged to disseminate accurate information on Comprehensive Sexuality Education
Media practitioners have been challenged to disseminate accurate information on Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) to provide children and young people with age appropriate in- formation, care and support on good sexual and reproductive health and development. This was said during a workshop attended by media practitioners from Lesotho, Malawi, Zambia, Mozambique, Uganda, Tanzania, Namibia, South Sudan and Zimbabwe that took place from 6th to 10 July in Harare, Zimbabwe.
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UNESCO Regional HIV and Health Education Advisor, Dr. Patricia Machawira, applauded the good work the media has done so far to fight HIV/AIDS but said much more can be done. “As UNESCO we have a mandate to work on HIV prevention particularly with young people who are still in the educational sector and we believe that education has the potential to help young people not to contract HIV, however it can not work in isolation. We know from research that just being in school can help protect young people against HIV, she said.
“Comprehensive Sexuality Education is a sensitive issue and a lot of work needs to be done, especially with ministries of education around curriculum and teacher training. Given the sensitivity around CSE, it is critical to bring parents and the communities on board and that is where the media comes in to disseminate accurate messages on the subject,” said Machawira.
Speaking at the same event, SAFAIDS Head of Communications, Knowledge Management, Media and Marketing Tariro Chikumbirike reiterated that parents have a mandate to enlighten their children on comprehensive sexuality education as well as reproductive health.
“Adolescence is not only marked by physical changes but also behavioral and emotional ones. Our young people need information about the changes in their bodies and about sexuality to help them make informed decisions,” she said.
“Parents and guardians need to start these conversations with their children because comprehensive sexuality education encompasses a plethora of key topics ranging from relationships, values, attitudes and skills, culture and sexual education,” said Chikumbirike.
Media practitioners from the eight east and southern African countries are expected to implement what they have leant at the workshop in their respective countries to help disseminate information on the importance of comprehensive sexuality education.
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| Author(s) |
UNESCO Windhoek Office |
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| Publication Date |
15 Jul 2015 |
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