by International Sexuality and HIV Curriculum Working GroupFootnote* Nicole Haberland, Deborah Rogow, editors
It's All One Curriculum is a teaching resource whose publication is timely. The role and legitimacy of sexual and reproductive health education for young people has become a subject of vigorous debate in many countries and a positive battleground in some. Fundamentally, this is a moral argument – whether it is morally corrupting to talk to young people about sex, sexuality and sexual health or, conversely, immoral to deprive young people of their right to evidence-based information. However, in large part, it is not argued on that basis. It is argued largely on a public health basis, with a focus on whether abstinence-only or comprehensive sexuality education is most effective at achieving certain public health objectives, e.g. reducing age of first sex, reducing teenage pregnancy and tackling high rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV, among young people. When it is posed only as a health argument, the rights element can get lost. Thus, the anti-sex education people rarely say straight out that we should conceal information from young people in principle. They argue instead that information will make young people sexually active and leave them pregnant and riddled with disease.
In the UK, most sexual health organisations have had to follow the money and support Government priorities, such as reducing teenage pregnancy and chlamydia rates. In a protracted legislative process in the UK Parliament earlier this year, those supporting the introduction of statutory sex and relationships education (the term used in the UK) argued for or against it almost solely on health grounds. Tentative discussion of the rights and entitlement of young people to access sexual health information were shouted down by arguments about the rights and entitlement of parents and faith schools to withhold it. The legislation failed, but even had it passed, we would find ourselves a long way from true comprehensive sexual and reproductive health education. A rigid focus on public health priorities leaves little space for education that addresses issues such as gender and gender equality, desire, sexual pleasure or body image. Neither does it necessarily develop the “critical thinking skills” cited in It's All One Curriculum as an essential building block of compassionate and just societies.
It's All One Curriculum has an ambitious agenda: to make explicit the link between gender inequality, stigmatised sexual relations and the global HIV pandemic in a way that is accessible, internationally relevant and youth-oriented. Moreover, it addresses discrimination based on gender, age, class, ethnicity, sexual preference, and physical ability. It makes the case that health and human rights are inextricably bound up in each other and should not compete for airspace. Developed by a working group across several continents, it draws on evidence and experience in sexual health education from around the world. It aims to be evidence-based, comprehensive, user-friendly, based on core values, gender-sensitive and culturally appropriate. It also promotes academic growth and fosters civic engagement.
National demonstration in support of public services, London, May 2010
There are two books in the set. One provides a series of structured lessons aimed at students aged 15 years and above. Fifty-four lesson plans break down abstract and sometimes complex concepts into easily digestible, bite-sized parts. These are introduced through a wide range of engaging, participatory activities, including quizzes, statements for debate, guided discussions and case studies. Young people will respond well to the lessons, which are structured but not didactic, and introduce important themes with a light touch, asking the young people to draw on their own feelings and opinions.
The other book includes guidelines on how facilitators might use the lesson plans and activities, and provides background information relating to each of the topics addressed in the lessons. The books are arranged around eight themes: sexual health and human rights; gender; sexuality; inter-personal relationships; communication and decision-making; the body, puberty and reproduction; sexual and reproductive health, including STIs, fertility, contraception and abortion; and advocating for sexual and reproductive health and rights, gender and sexual equality. As well as factual information – on the body, HIV and AIDS, and all the themes covered by the book – the final unit includes practical actions young people can take to become advocates for sexual and reproductive health and rights. Educators will enjoy the clear and simple layout and relish the photographs used to illustrate each section, which represent a range of young people from different cultures and countries. They will find the factsheets a useful resource for themselves and their students.
This resource is written around the principle that human rights issues, and therefore education about human rights, are universally relevant. The authors recognise that the challenge for those using the books to facilitate workshops will be to make them accessible to a wide range of young people, with diverse learning and literacy skills, living in different cultural and policy contexts and communities, and studying in differently resourced institutions. If educators are to get the best from this resource they will need to spend time thinking about how to adapt the tools for maximum value in their locale. They will need to ask themselves:
| • | what are the biggest gaps in young people's current knowledge, skills and attitudes, and what are they most interested in knowing about; | ||||
| • | how can I deliver all the essential information in a way that acknowledges, but does not defer to the cultural, political and religious context; | ||||
| • | what examples and case studies can I find that will be relevant and familiar to local groups to illustrate the lessons; and | ||||
| • | what information must I introduce about local services and resources to ensure that what I will be teaching will also be really practical and support young people's use of those resources? | ||||
It's All One Curriculum aims to create a generation of thoughtful, empathetic people who respect their own and other's rights and will be informed and motivated to campaign for change and to take on the challenges presented by the global HIV pandemic. The question remains whether the current generation of policymakers around the world will create the time, space and training for educators to prioritise these important issues in schools and in their communities, and to use this exciting new resource.
Available for free download at: <www.itsallone.org>
Education for Choice is the UK charity dedicated to enabling young people to make and act on informed choices about pregnancy and abortion. <www.efc.org.uk>
Notes
* The working group included members from the following organisations: CREA (India): Caroline Earle, Sunita Kujur, Geeta Misra; Girls Power Initiative (Nigeria): Bene Madunagu, Grace Osakue; International Planned Parenthood Federation (UK): Doortje Braeken; IPPF/Western Hemisphere Region (USA): Jessie Clyde, Denise Kohn; International Women's Health Coalition (USA): Kelly Castagnaro, Corinne Whitaker; Mexfam (Mexico): Ofelia Aguilar; Population Council (USA): Nicole Haberland, Deborah Rogow.