INITIATIVES TAKEN BY INDIAN GOVERNMENT


In 2009 a Rajya Sabha committee headed by Mr. M. Venkaiah Naidu (BJP, union minister at present) recommended that there should be no sex education in schools. This committee comprised of Rajya Sabha members from BJP, Congress, CPI (M), RJD, LJP and AIADMK. The committee held that the sex education “promotes promiscuity” and has “the potential to pollute the young and impressionable minds of students by exposing them to indecent material” and causes “incalculable damage to our school children who are the future citizens of this country”. The committee also stated that “our country’s social and culture ethos are such that sex education has absolutely no place in it. Basic human instincts like food, fear, greed, coitus etc. need not be taught, rather control of these instincts should be the subject of education. But present academic system incites stimulation of instincts, which is detrimental to the society. To focus Indian education on ‘instinct control’ should the important objective and for that the dignity of restraint has to be well entrenched in education.”

Better sex education is now a part of India’s school curriculum. After years of sex education being banned in many Indian states, Prime Minister Narendra Modi rolled out a sex education program in 2018. This training is vital since India is number three in the world’s HIV epidemic. This education involves role- playing and activity-based modules that are taught by trained teachers and student peer educators. In this training, students learn about sexual violence and sexual health among other topics. The whole training in total is 22 hours. Each week the schools set aside one period for the training.

The fight for fair sex education is not over. Despite great strides, sex education is still considered taboo in India. It is considered by many to be a Westerninfluence that corrupts Indian culture. The Family Planning Association of India conducted a workshop on “Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights for All” in July of 2019. The organization hopes to break down taboos around sex, reproduction and homosexuality. India’s Health Ministry is also working to improve awareness about sex and sexuality. In 2017, it stated homosexual feelings are natural. This is a progressive stance for a country with previous laws against homosexual intercourse.


THE AMERICAN WAY

The American Sexual Education curriculum, on the other hand, focuses a lot on abstinence and not on a complete sexual education. As a result, the curriculum often focuses less on contraception methods, leaving the US at the number one spot for teen pregnancies amongst western countries. The United States also ranks number one for STIs in teens, amongst the developed nations.

  • The United States focuses more on abstinence

  • Curriculum focuses less on contraception

  • US struggles with funding to develop and teach comprehensive sex

    education

  • US ranks first amongst developed nations in teen pregnancies and

    STIS


    THE DUTCH WAY

    The Netherlands follows a comprehensive sex education curriculum, teaching children as young as four years old, about sex and sexuality. The conversations are not explicitly about sexual acts but revolve around love, respect, and intimacy, building each year to introduce children to different aspects of sexual health.

  • The Netherlands follows a comprehensive sex education curriculum

  • Kids as young as 4 years old, are introduced to sex education

  • These conversations are not explicitly about sexual acts

  • Love, respect and intimacy form part of the curriculum

  • The Netherlands is one of the most gender-equal countries

  • They have the lowest rate of teen pregnancies & STIS


    WHAT INDIA CAN DO??

    For starters, we need to take sex education far more seriously and work on developing a comprehensive sex-education curriculum that works for India. It would also be imperative that all stakeholders – children, parents, and teachers – be involved in creating and designing this curriculum.

    The emphasis should be on developing healthy sexual attitudes among young adults and children, giving them and their parents access to the right kind of information that empowers them to make right and informed decisions. Without access to information, young people in schools will turn to friends, magazines, the Internet, and porn, which could lead to a confused understanding of sex. When we start normalising conversations around sexual health and education, connecting it to respect, consent, safety, and love, we are working with a chance that this generation will make far healthier choices when it comes to sex and sexuality.

    • . India needs a far more comprehensive sex education curriculum

    • Teachers, parents and kids need to be involved in designing curriculum

    • Emphasis should be on young people's overall sexual health

    • Access of information to children and parents

    • Curriculum that teaches respect, consent and love

    • Empower young people to make informed decisions


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