Why we need sex education in our schools
One of the biggest ironies about our great nation is that despite being home to the second largest population on planet, we're hopelessly shy when it comes to talking about sex. However, the worrisome numbers of early pregnancies, and rising cases of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) call for an immediate need to not just talk about sex, but also teach our kids about it.
Why Sex-ed matters, in the words of UNESCO
UNESCO: Sex-ed "provides opportunities to build decision-making, communication, and risk reduction skills about many aspects of sexuality, encompasses the full range of information, skills and values to enable young people to exercise their sexual and reproductive rights and make decisions about their health and sexuality".
Are you going to warn your kids against STDs? When?
For many, no sex education in schools implies no sex education ever. Come to think of it, who do you expect your child to learn algebra from, if not their mathematics teacher in school? Google? According to an ICMR study, roughly 6% of India's adult population suffers from STDs, and 30-35 million cases are seen annually. Yet, it's never too late to start educating.
The teenage pregnancy epidemic in India
A teenage girl's body isn't mature enough for giving birth, and early pregnancies come with many physiological complications and psychological implications. According to a recent UNFPA estimate, India was a world-leader (!) in teenage pregnancy numbers with 11.8 million cases. Notably, early marriages and ignorance towards contraception are the major reasons of premature pregnancies. Yet, they say sex-ed ruins Indian culture! Ignorance, much?
Our children need sex-ed to be able to protect themselves
In 2016, 36,022 cases of sexual abuse against children were registered under the POCSO Act, and these are just reported figures. Given the social barriers and mental trauma involved, the real numbers always stay hidden. Only if sex-ed in schools was normalized, children would be able to better understand the subtle nuances about consent and sexual abuse, thereby becoming more vigilant against untoward practices.
By ignoring the importance of sex-ed, where are we heading?
India, as a country, is achieving a lot on many fronts and currently holds the tag of the fastest growing economy in the world. While such achievements and numbers are things to be proud of, it should be noted that India's school education system is anything but exemplary, and desperately needs an overhaul, including the addition of sex education in school curricula.
