By Anna Maria Nicosia
The Encouragement of Education about Sexual Health and Behavior
A very prevalent and controversial issue that was discussed in the General Assembly 3rd Committee this past week at THIMUN (The Hague International Model United Nations) 2014 was the encouragement of education about sexual health and behavior. As most of the countries present at the conferences had either religious or governmental policies, which do not agree with the main themes of sexual health and behavior education, it was no surprise that none of the resolutions promoting the education of sexual health and behavior were passed. Even as a delegate of Kuwait, whose policies mainly discourage such sexual education, I found this disappointing on many levels, as I believe there are several good reasons for taking such actions.
I believe that even at the early age of seven or eight years old children should be taught about such topics in school and the embarrassing nature of the subject matter itself for both children and parents should not be a deterrent. A more scientific approach might be the best course of action, leading to less sensitivity on the subject for teachers and children, in order for children to learn what is happening with their bodies during puberty in a non-emotional and structural way. At a later age, of course, teenagers should learn about sexual intercourse and the diseases and other complications that can accompany it, such as pregnancy. Teenagers should also be taught about the many ways they can protect themselves with contraceptives though always with the encouragement of abstinence.
One of the most valid reasons to promote sexual education and teach children about sexual matters, and one which I spoke about at THIMUN this past week, is the urgency to teach children their rights, to inform them of the dangers of sexual abuse, to instruct them on various forms of sexual predation, and to teach them how to report such events. I spoke about this subject because I strongly believe that children should be aware of the dangers that could happen to them at an early age. They need to be informed that sexual predators exist, and not only that they should not go off with strangers, which is usually already reinforced by their parents, but also that there are family friends and neighbors who may seem trustworthy, but who might abuse that trust and power. Perhaps most importantly, children must also be taught that should someone take advantage and abuse them, it is not their fault. Children are too often convinced by abusers to be ashamed of what has happened to them and to take responsibility for their abuser’s actions, instead of realizing that they themselves are the victims, and that they must report the abuse, even if their abuser threatens them or their families.