Drawing on its extensive experience in delivering training on adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRH), JOICFP held the 3rd ASRH seminar, entitled “Towards youth involvement and creation of a youth friendly environment” from 21st June to 14th July. The seminar was supported by JICA, in line with the Japanese government’s international collaboration towards the goals set out at ICPD in 1994.

Eleven participants, mostly program implementers, from Asia, Latin America, and the Pacific attended to:

・ Acquire a basic understanding of necessary conditions and strategies for better ASRH program implementation

・ Acquire effective skills in approaching youths

・ Acquire a better understanding on the concepts of and be able to develop effective strategies for creation of a supportive environment for ASRH

The seminar differed from previous ones in that there were more opportunities for the participants to meet with more young people and exchange views, as requested by participants from last year’s seminar.

Youth-friendly environment

The seminar was constructed so that group presentations were linked to study sessions. The participants gave group country presentations on their understanding of and experiences with a youth friendly environment, followed by lectures from Japanese experts on creating a youth-friendly environment and comprehensive sexuality education.

One of the participants talks about youth-friendly environment
during group work

For three days, the participants took part in a stimulating workshop with Dora Braeken, Senior Adviser for Theme of Young People, IPPF who gave lectures including “Sexual and reproductive health and rights of young people,” “Understanding and delivering youth adult partnership,” and “Effective management of youth programs.”

During the workshop, the participants and Japanese young people wrote down their images of adults and youths, respectively, and then compared information. Topics covered included abortion, abstinence and contraception.

Young Japanese people write down their ideas about adults

Some of the stereotypes discussed included:

The participants and the young people also frankly exchanged ideas about sex and sexuality, sexual relationships, young people’s participation in policy making, and raising awareness.

Discussing stereotypes among each other

The trainees visited a ‘drop-in’ center for young people to observe HIV/AIDS prevention activities in an urban setting. Japan is unusual in that it is the only developed country with an increasing rate of HIV infection.

Mami Iida, Director for AIDS and Emerging Infectious Disease, explains public health strategies to fight HIV/AIDS
at the drop-in center

IEC/BCC

In a behavior change communication (BCC) session with peer counselors, each party acted out a role-play on advocacy for youth issues, with the peer counselors explaining to, for example, religious leaders why ASRH was necessary. This was an opportunity for both sides to learn how to counter conservative trends in sex education.

This included use of the Maggie Apron IEC tool, and also observation of an HIV/AIDS education for young children, using hand puppets by Chigusa Kijima, an inspiring expert in HIV/AIDS and RH education.

During Kijima’s session

The seminar participants also met with Kyoko Kitazawa, Ahni Publishing, to learn about the ‘Sex Education Tree’ a diagrammatic devise that can explain reproduction, sexuality, etc.

Kitazawa emphasized that sex education must start at an early age to be effective, and that even young children can learn about health topics that include, for example, HIV/AIDS. Kitazawa said that teaching young children how to avoid sexual violence was important and they needed to be educated on this.

The participants learn how to use the “sex education tree” during Kitazawa’s session

Networking

In Nagano City, the participants learned about local government policies and strategies on ASRH as well cooperative activities with local NGOs and educational organizations.
The trainees visited two schools and were able to observe two different types of sex education classes. In a primary school, 11- and 12-year-old boys and girls were asked to write down their ideas about the other gender, and the class then discussed them. The school nurse explained gender stereotyping, and spoke with them about physical development by age and gender.

A school nurse explains physical development to primary school students as the seminar participants observe

In a junior high school, the class of 14- 15-year-olds was simply shown a video on reproduction. Ministry of Health guidelines have become more restrictive, and, for example, teachers are not allowed to discuss condoms or how to use them.

Also in Nagano, the peer group “Happy Life Peers” demonstrated a peer group education session, and the participants demonstrated their own session, thereby exchanging information and methods.

Peer educators demonstrate their role-play…

… and the seminar participants their role-play

The trainees made action plans to complement existing programs in their respective countries, and through JICA Net, spoke with former participants in Thailand and Fiji Professor Noppawan from Thailand reported how she has developed an ASRH network among 40 schools based on the seminar experience last year and Dr. Setareki from Fiji who attended a Community-based Strategy Seminar in 1994 and is now working at UNFPA Fiji, spoke on important points for promoting ASRH in 14 Pacific islands. These include community participation, quality data collection, monitoring and evaluation, IEC, advocacy and sustainability.
All the participants were very satisfied with the training and will communicate with past seminar participants to extend the global network of ASRH specialists trained by JOICFP.