‘Sex education critical’
THE Fiji Women’s Rights Movement (FWRM) strongly believes that comprehensive sex education (CSE) is critical in addressing teenage pregnancy and violence in the country.
According to FWRM, recent reports in the media regarding a high school student being hospitalised after allegedly giving birth in school and a leaked sex video of an Year 8 student with the discovery of a disposed fetus making headlines, reflected a serious lack of awareness of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR).
FWRM said it was critical for news media organisations to understand the issues and the harm that came with sensationalising headlines.
“FWRM calls for more responsible, gender-balanced and ethical reporting from journalists as they play an important role in sharing information and debunking stereotypes and myths that undermine human rights and justice,” FWRM said.
FWRM executive director Nalini Singh said it was a disturbing reality that children as young as those in primary schools were involved in sexual activities and finding themselves in dangerous situations.
“There must be meaningful, age-appropriate, comprehensive sex education (CSE) for children to learn about safe spaces, bodily autonomy and having respectful relationships,” Ms Singh said.
“There needs to be some critical thinking and improved curriculum that allows teachers to unlearn the notion of ‘sex talk’ as taboo in teacher training institutions.
“The school curriculum on sexual health provides the foundation of knowledge that adolescents need to make decisions on their bodies.”
She added the call for improved CSE had been an ongoing effort that FWRM and women’s groups, young women and girls had advocated for consistently over the years through national budget submissions, outcome statements from young womenled fora and research analysis work.
“This comes in the back of high rates of unplanned and teenage pregnancies and violence against women and girls.”
FWRM also welcomed the comments made by the Women and Children Minister Mereseini Vuniwaqa calling for collective action to ensure that adolescents were given timely information and had efficient resources to curb issues.