China News Service, Beijing, September 28th, title: Experts analyze "sex education": protecting the health and dignity of children and adolescents
China News Agency reporter Wang Zumin
A few days ago, the news that “primary school teachers taught students about pregnancy was complained by parents” quickly appeared in the hot searches of all major social media in China. The topic of “sex education” that was difficult for most Chinese people to talk about became once again. The focus of heated discussion outside.
A few days ago, a seminar on sex education for children and adolescents jointly organized by non-profit organizations discussed the current development of sex education in China, its necessity and significance, as well as the problems faced and future development.
Data map.
Photo by Zhong Xin
The current situation of sex education in China is not optimistic
"This is a very'troublesome' topic." During the seminar, Li Hongyan, a project officer of the UNESCO Representative Office in China, said straightforwardly.
She believes that this "trouble" is first embodied in the "various forms" of sex education, such as health education, adolescence education, AIDS prevention education, and sexual assault prevention education.
"Many people avoid talking about sex education, in addition to being limited by traditional concepts, but also because of confusion in understanding and misunderstandings. Many people even think that sex education is education about sexual behavior."
Li Hongyan introduced that in 2018, UNESCO and other institutions jointly launched the "Guidelines for International Sex Education Technology" (revised edition), proposing the concept of "comprehensive sex education"-covering "relationships", "values, culture, rights and "Sex", "Gender", "Violence and Safety Guarantee", "Health and Welfare Skills", "Human Body and Development", "Sex and Sexual Behavior", "Sex and Reproductive Health" and other eight aspects.
"Comprehensive sex education is a curriculum-based teaching process that explores the cognitive, emotional, physical and social meanings of sex. Its purpose is to equip children and young people with certain knowledge, skills, attitudes and values to ensure their health and well-being. And dignity; the goal is to cultivate mutual respectful social and sexual relations, to help children and young people learn to think about how their personal choices affect the happiness of themselves and others, and to know how to protect their own rights throughout their lives." Li Hongyan said.
However, the development of sex education in China is not optimistic.
From 2010 to 2017, the "Cherish Life—Sexual Health Education Reader for Primary School Students" (12 volumes) compiled by the Children’s Sex Education Project Group of Beijing Normal University was published. There was a bigger public sentiment and it was removed from the shelves.
It has been 10 years since the publication of the reader. Its editor-in-chief and professor at Beijing Normal University Liu Wenli said: "Compared with the problems that have arisen, the current domestic sex education is still far from enough."
As one of the few social organizations in China that carry out sex education for children and adolescents, Xi'an Guangyuan Education Aid Charity Center launched the "You and Me Partner Sex Education Support Platform" charity project three years ago.
Its chairman Zhang Yaohua said: "The core issue of sex education in China is the issue of supply and demand. At present, many children and adolescents are still blank in sex education. The most urgent thing is to let more children receive sex education."
Li Hongyan pointed out that the main difficulty in popularizing and developing sex education in China lies in the lack of public advocacy, lack of technical resources, and insufficient implementation capabilities.
Comprehensive sex education is a powerful weapon to prevent child sexual abuse
Participants all believed that sex education is an indispensable and important link in the healthy growth of children and adolescents.
Zhang Yaohua said that the lack of sex education will bring harm such as high incidence of unwanted pregnancy and miscarriage, younger age of sexually transmitted diseases, and frequent occurrence of sexual assault cases.
With the development of the times, new types of drugs and social software also bring sexual opportunities and risks; in the uneven information transmitted on the Internet, children and adolescents are more likely to be exposed to pornographic and violent products, enticing them to imitate or even commit crimes.
Liu Qing, director of the Science and Technology Division of the Institute of Science and Technology of the National Health Commission, said that with the decline in fertility and the number of births, as well as the emergence of birth defects, reproductive health should "advance the barrier."
"The most important thing about moving forward is to start with children and adolescents. The development of sex education can enable us to better prevent and avoid these problems."
Li Hongyan believes that comprehensive sex education is of positive significance in promoting sexual and reproductive health (preventing sexually transmitted diseases and AIDS), ensuring safety (preventing sexual and gender-based violence and bullying), promoting gender equality, and developing social and emotional capabilities.
According to data released by the Ministry of Public Security recently, since this year, public security agencies in various regions have uncovered more than 12,000 cases of rape, forced indecency, and child molestation against minors.
This distressing data once again makes child sexual assault the focus of outside crusades.
Liu Wenli said that basic sex education must start with children, improve their knowledge of gender and body, and tell children to protect private parts.
"There are many educational concepts behind the education of sexual assault prevention, such as physical dignity, physical rights, physical boundaries, physical protection, gender equality, life skills, and many other aspects of education." She said, "Prevention of child sexual assault is not one or two sessions. The lessons can be completed, and comprehensive sex education does not mean that child sexual assault can be eliminated, but it is certainly a powerful weapon to prevent child sexual assault."
Improving the scientific literacy of the public and promoting the development of sex education
The guests at the conference were optimistic about the prospects for the future development of sex education in China.
Li Hongyan said that sex education is an integral part of high-quality education and is related to multiple sustainable development goals of the United Nations. Relevant regulations and requirements can also be found in the "Healthy China 2030" Planning Outline.
Regarding the future development of sex education, she made several suggestions: policy advocacy, media publicity, formation of parent and community participation, and enhancement of public awareness; development of technical guidelines, revealing the relevance and dialectics of the curriculum, to sex educators Provide reference; strengthen the training of teachers, cultivate first-line and grass-roots sex education talents; strengthen monitoring and evaluation; multi-sectoral cooperation, especially the docking between education and health departments, to provide psychological, legal and legal services for children and adolescents with special needs. Support for medical services, etc.
Looking back on the discussion and controversy triggered by "Cherish Life-Primary School Students' Sexual Health Education Reader" a few years ago, Liu Wenli said that "sex" will always be controversial, and this is an unchangeable fact.
"If you don't do it because of controversy, this is not a scientific attitude. I think improving the scientific literacy of the public is the general environment that we need to change to carry out sex education.
Social forces are also participating in the promotion of sex education in China.
As of August this year, the "You and Me Partner Sex Education Support Platform" has covered more than 2,400 schools, with nearly 10,000 volunteer teachers participating, and providing courses for nearly 700,000 children and adolescents.
Zhang Yaohua said that "you and my partner" are encouraging and supporting everyone to participate in sex education and expanding coverage through standardized sex education curriculum packages and extensive social mobilization and cooperation.
"What sex education means, may everyone have different answers, but it is closely related to everyone. Therefore, sex education also requires everyone to work hard to promote the development of this cause." Li Hongyan ended her "Social Mobilization to Carry out Sex Education", said when sharing the theme.
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