Talking to children about issues such as sexuality and HIV & AIDS can be a daunting prospect for educators and parents alike. However, as a recent learning session organized by UN Cares Indonesia emphasized, starting that dialogue is an important initial step toward ensuring that young people have the knowledge they need to protect their health and safety.
A total of 31 UN staff members from 11 agencies took part in the session, “Talking about Sex and HIV to Children”, held on 24 June in Jakarta.
UN Cares is an inter-agency program that aims to reduce the impact of HIV in UN workplaces and sets basic standards by which all offices must operate in this regard.
Opening the learning session, Cho Kah Sin, UNAIDS Indonesia Country Director, emphasized how the standards set by UN Cares provide a model for other workplaces.
Moreover, he said, the program creates a unique space in which UN workers can freely discuss topics that might be considered sensitive in host countries. The focus of this session – educating children on issues related to HIV & AIDS and sexuality – was no exception.
Ali Aulia Ramly, UNICEF Child Protection Specialist, spoke of the link between violence against children and increased vulnerability to HIV and other sexually transmitted infection (STI). He said that discussions about HIV with children need to be age appropriate and focused on providing information that will help reduce high risk behaviors.
Luh Surini Yulia Savitri, a psychologist from the University of Indonesia, also stressed the importance of keeping discussions age-appropriate. She said a key focus of sexual education should be on preventing sexual harassment, abuse and violence.
Participants shared their experiences discussing sexuality and HIV with their own children during the discussion session and sought feedback on their approaches from the experts. Tools to assist in these sensitive discussions, such as educational dolls with green and red lights installed on their bodies to indicate which areas can and cannot be touched.
Further resources were shared at the end of the session, including the UN Cares website as well as UNESCO’s International Technical Guidance on Sexuality Education (ITGSE) – an evidence-informed approach for schools and educators. The ITGSE was launched in 2009 as part of a multi-agency effort by UNESCO, WHO, UNFPA UNAIDS, and UNICEF.
On their feedback forms, participants requested further learning sessions on the theme, recognizing the importance of this dialogue and learning the most effective ways to approach it.
For further information on this activity, please contact:
HIV team – UNESCO Jakarta at hiv.jakarta@unesco.org
Related Links:
UN Cares website