| The discourse on sexuality, beyond sexual violence, is one that is new and vibrant. There are several aspects of sexuality that have emerged as fully fledged controversies, such as the sex education debate, and others that are only just beginning to get articulated (including issues related to children and sexuality as well as gender transgression.) Nirantar seeks to engage with current debates on sexuality and to enable a widening and deepening of the engagement of other activists and academics with these debates. Either such debates do not appear in the mainstream public realm or if they do it is often the voices of conservative forces that dominate.
The latter is true of the debate on sexuality education for young people. Media coverage of the issue has been dominated by highly judgemental and moralistic perspectives that seek to deny young people the right to information regarding sex and sexuality. Efforts related to life skills and adolescent education, inspired largely by the HIV/AIDs sector, have also tended to be inimical to the needs and interests of young people. They have provided the space to introduce ideas of abstinence and a highly regimented construction of adolescence which seeks to define and control the behaviour of young people in a manner that is in keeping with the agenda of disease prevention. A fear based approach is often adopted in such material.
The response to some of this material has been highly problematic too. The banning of sex education in several states across the country has been triggered by the perception that such material is too sexually explicit and will encourage young people to engage in sexual activities. Activists, practitioners, young people themselves as well as academics have simultaneously opposed the ban and demanded that the State evolve a policy that ensures that the right of young people to gain access to sexuality education is met in a manner that entails perspective building and adequate preparedness on the part of the education system. Rich critiques and recommendations can be found articulated in the recent submissions to the Parliamentary Committee by educationists, women’s groups as well as child rights groups. For further information regarding the submissions as well as ongoing policy advocacy efforts please contact Nirantar. |
