Comprehensive Sexuality Education In Schools Urgent, Amid HIV Outbreak

The Fiji Women's Rights Movement (FWRM) believes that age-appropriate comprehensive sexuality education in schools is now more urgent than ever after shocking statistics of HIV cases was shared by the Minister for Health & Medical Services, Atonio Lalabalavu.

With over one thousand new cases of HIV recorded just between the months of January to September last year, FWRM reiterates that the increase is partly due to insufficient and fragmented sexual and reproductive health and rights education within Fiji's schools.

"The lack of importance and taboo surrounding our sexual and reproductive health and rights needs to be discarded at this point. People have sex. Children are having sex. What can we do to prevent them from making decisions that will impact their health and their livelihoods for the rest of their lives? We need to start teaching our children bodily autonomy, sexual health, safe spaces, consent and having respectful relationships to ensure our future generations are equipped with the tools to protect themselves and their communities," FWRM Executive Director, Nalini Singh said.

The continuous call for improved CSE in our school curriculums is also a need identified in our spaces for young women and girls that we continue to advocate on through national budget submissions, outcome statements from young women-led and girl-led fora and research analysis work.

"The outbreak of HIV in Fiji is a stark reminder of the need for urgent action and the evidence finds that a comprehensive and inclusive approach to sexual health education increases young people’s knowledge and improves attitudes surrounding sexual and reproductive health and behaviors. Let's begin there. Teach our children so they are informed and they make the right decisions when it comes to their health and their future," Ms Singh said.

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