NIRANTAR - a centre for gender and education

About

Nirantar has since its inception been engaged with issues of sexuality, in particular through struggles for justice related to sexual violence against women, as part of the women’s movement. Nirantar has also been involved with Voices Against 377, a Delhi based coalition working against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. In 2007, Nirantar has begun working on the issue of sexuality as part of its mandate on education. The need for this initiative was based on a recognition of the linkages between sexuality and rights.

The sexuality education initiative has the following components -
- Creating materials on issues of sexuality in accessible Hindi for NGO members and other activists working at the community level

In the context of education, the category used most often is sex education, not sexuality education. At Nirantar we are working with the framework of sexuality. Somewhat difficult to define, sexuality refers to a range of experiences, thoughts, desires, beliefs, attitudes, values, behaviour, practices, roles and relationships. Sexuality is influenced by the interaction of biological, psychological, social, economic, political and cultural factors. Following from this, sexuality education is a process of acquiring information, building a critical understanding and forming attitudes about the self, relationships, sexual behavior, reproductive health and gender roles.

- Working with NGOs
This eight-month long programme ‘Yonikta aur Hum’ seeks to build perspectives of NGO staff members who are working at the level of the community. Nirantar will provide substantive inputs to the NGOs who participate in the programme. The NGOs will undertake certain activities, building upon the inputs they receive. For further details of this programme please see the section on Research, Advocacy and Training.

- Review of sexuality education materials
Nirantar is reviewing selected teaching learning materials related to sexuality. We have begun this process by reviewing selected material that has been developed as part of adolescence education/life skills programmes. The review seeks to understand the manner in which the material understands and projects issues related to sexuality and adolescence itself.

- Recommended readings
Nirantar will seek to share information related to selected articles, books, training material etc. on sexuality which we have found useful. The nature of content/issues dealt with will be shared. This material will be available in the Nirantar library.

- Engagement in current debates
Nirantar will actively engage in debates related to sexuality, which is an evolving realm of engagement for activists and academics. The debate we are currently focusing on relates to the controversy related to the introduction on sex education in schools.