Family Planning Association of India (FPAI), Dharwad, unit will launch programmes to create awareness among adolescents and youth through comprehensive sexuality education in high schools and colleges.
FPAI office-bearers Hemal Desai and Shubhendu Akalwadi told presspersons here on Thursday that in India, there are 2.1 million HIV-infected people and among them 50 per cent are youth.
Every year, 4.4 million girls seek abortion services and among them, 50 per cent are unsafe abortions, 10 per cent women become pregnant at an adolescent age adding to the increasing maternal mortality and 30 per cent girls are sexually abused.
New project
To help prevent this trend, the FPAI has taken up a new project,
“By the youths for the youths”, and youth will be given education on advocating comprehensive sexuality education and sexual reproductive health rights.
This project was launched in 2001 and the Education Department was roped in to educate students and every year, 2,000 students are being counselled.
Now, the youths, who are trained by the FPAI, will approach students of classes 8, 9 and 10, PU I and II year and hold discussions with them.
This year, the FPAI will expand this programme to 3,000 adolescents and youths by planning various youth activities.
Youth forums have been floated involving active youth from rural and urban areas, they added.
The entire programme was divided into eight components, of which four will be held jointly for boys and girls.
The FPAI had set up youth-friendly centres in various villages and a counsellor has been appointed.
Orientation programmes
Orientation programmes for teachers and sensitisation programme for parents would also be held.
Suman Patil said that this programme would be held at five colleges in Dharwad, five in Dharwad Rural, five in Hubballi and Hubballi Rural, Kalghatgi and Navalgund.
As many as 500 students will be counselled in every school.
This project will be launched on February 6 at Veerapur Government High School in Dharwad.
FPAI, Dharwad, manager Sujata Anishettar and Usha Murthy were present.
