Most parents and teachers are reluctant to discuss reproductive health issues with children and inform them about the physical and emotional aspects of puberty, which pushes them to seek information from unreliable sources and exposes them to exploitation.
This finding was derived from a baseline study conducted by Lifeline, a Lahore based NGO. The most interesting result of the study is that 85.3 percent girls, 94.6 percent boys and 99 percent of all politicians, teachers, journalists and religious leaders endorse the idea of teaching SRH in schools.
The objective of the study was to "gauge and assess the level of understanding of different key stakeholders about adolescent and youth sexual and reproductive health right (SRHR) issues". Data was collected from 9 districts of Pakistan, including Islamabad, Lahore, Lodhran, Karachi, Jamshoro, Peshawar, Abbottabad, Quetta and Pishin. Adolescents, parents, teachers, politicians, prominent religious leaders, EDO's, District Managers of Population Welfare Departments and NGO representatives of the select districts made the target respondents for the study.
Addressing a press conference, Chief Executive of Lifeline Omer Aftab said that there was a severe vacuum of information in the 100 million plus Pakistani youth. To date, no serious, concerted efforts have been made to sensitise them on their basic rights. Without proper guidance, youth falls into bad ways and is scarred for life. The LSBE course, which is a major initiative, is being taught mostly in urban and semi-urban areas and ignores 62percent of the population.
Lifeline also conducted a curriculum review and Learning Needs Assessment (LNA) of the Life Skill Based Education (LSBE) course that is taught in certain schools. The LSBE course imparts basic knowledge to adolescents to help them to cope with the physiological, psychological, political and social changes in their lives. Lifeline's review of this course has revealed that 83.3 percent and 74.7 percent students have reported an increase in knowledge and change in thinking due to the course. About 84.4 percent of students between 12 and 15 years are in favour of the course being taught in schools. Furthermore, no objections were raised to teach the LSBE course by any quarter, including religious leaders and politicians.
Teachers and students suggested that instead of the same course being taught to all students between 12 and 17 years, a more step-wise approach is taken, ie, certain topics are taught to younger students (12-13 years olds) and the level and extent of information be increased when taught to older students. Lifeline also recommends that the sensitisation of teachers is of paramount importance. They must be trained and their training material should include reproductive anatomy and physiology in detail, so their misconceptions are removed.
Omer Aftab also dispelled false impressions that have nothing to do with religion but centuries old rites and customs of this region. "Our religion does not forbid us from discussing or imparting proper guidance to the children on these sensitive issues," said he and further added, "the issue should not be labelled as socially proscribed topic and parents especially in middle and lower middle classes should discuss these issues with their children."