The world starts with‌
the world starts with ‌ The effect of comprehensive sexuality education on the lives of young people in Ethiopia
Acknowledgements We would like to thank all the young people who made this project possible by sharing their personal stories with us and the teachers of Jiren school, Jimma, for their help and support, as well as the Development Expertise Center (DEC) Ethiopia for facilitating this project. Furthermore, we would like to acknowledge the fact that Educaids helped to adapt and implement the comprehensive sexuality education programme The World Starts With Me in Ethiopia. Finally, we would also like to express our gratitude to Trui Chielens and Pieter Verfaillie for sharing their skills in making linocuts, and Natalie Browes for interviewing and editing. 2
The World Starts With ‌
The World Starts With ‌
3
How Comprehensive Sexuality Education changed my life Visualising the impact of comprehensive sexuality education “I learned a lot from The World Starts With Me but most importantly I learned about puberty and body changes,” says Hayat, a 15-year-old girl from Jimma in Ethiopia. “I now understand my body better and feel more relaxed and confident.”
Young people growing up are naturally curious about sex, relationships, reproductive health and the changes their bodies are going through. However, for many teachers and parents it is not easy to talk about these topics with young people. This is why Rutgers WPF offers programmes in comprehensive sexuality education, such as The World Starts With Me, which includes a wide range of topics related to sexuality with a positive approach to sexuality and youth. The programme aims to support young people, enabling them to make their own well-informed choices regarding their relationships and sexual lives. Hayat is one of twenty young people in Jimma who we asked to explain what the programme The World Starts With Me meant to them. How had it changed their lives? Supported by two art teachers, the students (eight girls and twelve boys from 15 to 17 years old) visualised their experiences using linocuts. Each drawing tells a personal story about how the programme changed their lives and helped them to become confident and articulate young men and women. The changes these young people describe go beyond the traditional sexual risk-related topics like preventing pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases and sexual abuse. They also include life skills like gaining confidence and trust, respecting gender equality, empowerment through sexual rights and being able to dream about one’s future. Their drawings show how The World Starts With Me helped them gain selfesteem and form healthy and loving relationships, and even contributed to more success in school. The programme offers students a way of discovering themselves, and teaches them how to support each other. Students clearly do not only gain knowledge about problems, but learn ways to prevent and solve them. This is the effect of comprehensive sexuality education. The world starts with them. 4
The World Starts With …
What is this The World Starts With Me?
Not sure, but this group looks very positive!
The World Starts With Me The World Starts With Me is a comprehensive sexuality education programme, targeting young people of 12–19 years old. This interactive, digital and rights-based programme is currently taught in 13 countries in Africa and Asia. According to UNESCO’s International Guidance on Sexuality Education, The World Starts With Me is one of 18 programmes worldwide that are likely effective and truly comprehensive.
I’m off to read their stories …
Originally developed in Uganda in 2003 by Rutgers WPF in collaboration with Butterfly Works, it has been adapted to the local context and setting in several countries. Educaids and its local partner Development Expertise Center (DEC) are responsible for the quality implementation of The World Starts With Me in Ethiopia, see www.wswmethiopa.org. To learn more about comprehensive sexuality education and how to use The World Starts With Me visit www.rutgerswpf.org or email Rutgers WPF at office@rutgerswpf.nl
The World Starts With …
5
15 years
I’m sharing chores with my sister now, because boys and girls are equal. Now she has time to play and study too.
It’s important for me that men and women are equal. Our country consists of 50% women, so why should they be left out? Women should be respected, so that harmful cultural practices like genital cutting and abduction stop. They should be able to develop themselves, learn and work, just like men. It all starts with being allowed to get an education, so girls need to have time to go to school. This is why I’ve started to help my sister out with chores in the house since I followed The World Starts With Me. Now I cook and clean too, and she has time to do her homework. When I learned about gender and equality I figured I could change something myself. I went home, talked about it with my family and offered to share chores with my sister. Before I had time to play, but she had not and worked in the house all the time. And you know what? My relationship with my sister has even improved! We talk more often and like each other better. We even study together now, and I really like that. This way she also helps me to achieve my goals. When I grow up and will have a relationship of my own with a girl, I also want to share responsibilities. I want to have an open relationship in which we can talk freely and be happy and healthy. In the drawing you see me cooking and my sister reading a book and we’re both happy.”
6
The World Starts With …
The World Starts With ‌
7
15 years
It’s natural to be small. I will grow into a big man eventually, but being small has its advantages too.
I used to be pretty insecure about my body, because everyone in my class was taller than me. I felt very small, like a little child. The education programme The World Starts With Me has taught me that your body grows when you grow up, but that there is also variety between people. For instance, there are older people as well in my class, so it turns out I am pretty normal after all. This drawing is about body change and confidence. You see a little child and a full grown man. The child is like the tree: he has not developed fully, but he is happy. Once you grow you will bear fruit: for yourself but also for others to pick (the bird). The top piece of fruit is most important: it is my ambition to become a computer engineer. Growing up also means you’ll be stronger and more fit. You can tell by the guy running. I am still quite small compared to other guys, but I have learned that I will grow too. And I can tell already, because I am growing hair in new places.”
8
The World Starts With …
The World Starts With ‌
9
16 years
I learned there is a difference between love, sexuality and having sex. Now I know that love is also for young people, including me!
10
The World Starts With …
I used to think that only grown-ups were allowed to love each other, because I thought that love and sex were the same. But, the programme taught me that there is a difference between loving someone and having sex. I have a girlfriend and now I know that I can show her my love in so many different ways apart from having sex. I want to save sex for later, when I’m older. So that’s why you see me kissing and hugging my girlfriend in this picture. That’s also love!”
The World Starts With ‌
11
17 years
Life is full of hardship. I learned from the programme that if I have a plan for the future, it will help me to focus, grow and reach my goal: being a politician.
This picture shows a mountain: it symbolises the effort you have to put into reaching your goal, and also the temptations you have to resist. There are for instance many other ways you could spend your time, but that would be a waste. So, I have to stay focused to reach my goal. If I reach the top of the mountain, I can climb my throne and be what I want to be in life: a politician. The lesson about future plans made me aware of this dream. Next to the throne you see the Ethiopian flag. That’s important for me, because it symbolises Ethiopian identity, which stands for respect for diversity of all our different people. Being a politician in Ethiopia, I would change a lot: not so much in housing and roads, but more in the minds of people. I would stimulate education, because our country needs more knowledge in order to be prosperous and develop. The programme also taught me to be in contact with my peers. I used to isolate myself from them, because I was afraid they would judge me. Now it’s much easier for me to make friends and communicate with them. That also helps me to fulfil my dreams.”
12
The World Starts With …
The World Starts With ‌
13
17 years
I learned about gender, rights and sexual abuse. I want to teach other people that gender-based violence and sexual abuse should stop.
My mother has raised me. I don’t know my father. He left us when I was very young. I don’t know the exact story. I did not ask my mother, because I don’t want to upset her. But, I know they first loved each other and then he left her. I call that ‘tactical abuse’: he enjoyed the good times, but when it became too hard for him he disappeared, just like that. So, I’ve seen from up close what gender inequity does: my mum has sacrificed her life to raise me. She didn’t get the chance to develop herself. She had to do several jobs to earn enough money and has not had a new relationship since. I’m an only child. The programme has taught me about gender, rights and genderbased violence, and I think men and women should be equal. That also has an effect on me: I wouldn’t have any problems with doing the housework for instance. In my lino picture you see me with the rope of knowledge. With my rope I want to prevent sexual-based violence, by teaching others and making abuse stop.”
14
The World Starts With …
The World Starts With ‌
15
17 years
Teenage pregnancy should be prevented. I want to teach people about the importance of contraceptives and condoms.
I know a lot of girls who became pregnant at a young age. Their future stopped because they dropped out of school and never finished their education. Also their health deteriorated. Most of the time their family had to take care of the baby, but they were very poor too. Sometimes, the girl is forced to marry the boy, but they’re not ready for such a long-term relationship. So they’re not leading a happy life at all. If they just would use contraceptives this could be prevented. I think a condom is best for young people because it protects both against pregnancy and HIV. But the contraceptive pill may also be a good idea, especially when you are married and are faithful to your partner. I’m not sexually active yet, I’m an Orthodox Christian. But when I am, I most definitely will use condoms. Some of my friends have girlfriends and are active already and I advise them about condoms. You can buy them here in shops. I even know a commonly made mistake in using condoms, leaving air in the tip. In my picture you see a little girl dancing in happiness, because she is being protected against teenage pregnancy by a condom and contraceptive pills.”
16
The World Starts With …
The World Starts With ‌
17
15 years
Now I have confidence! I used to be shy and was afraid to speak out in class, but not anymore.
I used to be very shy in class and not say anything. I didn’t feel free talking to people. But because of The World Starts With Me I got more confident. I learned about communication and being proud of myself. Now I can talk to much more people, even boys. Actually most of the girls and boys in my class do that now. We mix with each other which we did not do before. In the picture you see a shy girl, hiding her face. That used to be me. But now I’m the proud and confident girl at the right. I’m not afraid to speak up in class anymore. Being confident is really important. It helps me to work hard in school and my results are improving. Talking to my parents about the programme also helped, and they came to school to visit the exhibition at the end, where we show what we have learned. They also talked with my teacher, so now it is easier for me to talk about love and sexuality at home. One of the biggest helps for me to be more confident is my teacher Miss Lenjisa. She is a good example for me, because she shows confidence too. Whenever I see her I feel happy.”
18
The World Starts With …
The World Starts With ‌
19
15 years
I learned about bad cultural practices and abduction. I want to stop people from doing those things.
In our culture it is a common phenomenon in rural areas, that girls are abducted from their family by older men. Next they are forced to marry them. I knew about this before I enrolled in the programme, but I didn’t really think about it too much. During the lessons our teacher told us about abduction and other bad cultural practices, like female genital cutting. I was shocked. Those girls are no different from me, they also should be able to go to school and have a happy life. That is when I started to feel responsible for stopping this. No girl should have to face such pain and suffering. In my drawing you see a girl who’s being abducted by a man, but I am stopping him. Also you see people demonstrating against abduction.”
20
The World Starts With …
The World Starts With ‌
21
17 years
I learned about gender equality, and convinced my mother and siblings that my brother and me are equal. Now I have the time to attend school and study, and I am third of my class!
I used to feel inferior to boys, because people told me I wouldn’t be able to succeed as they do. Also I didn’t have the opportunity to show my talents and creativity, because I was so busy doing my chores like cleaning and cooking, I couldn’t attend school and study properly. As a result my grades were low. So, I didn’t believe in myself. But that changed. The lesson about gender and equality, learned me that girls should also get the opportunity to succeed in life. That was such an important lesson for me! It wasn’t easy, but I talked with my mother, sisters and brothers about this: I wanted equal opportunities like my brothers. This is what you see in the picture: me having a table conversation with my mother, brothers and sister about equality. At the table you see scales, with the weight equally divided between me and my brother. The outcome of the discussion? My mother agreed and my sisters too! My brothers first were a bit hesitant, because it implied they should do more chores …. But my eldest brother saw that my development and growth was also important, and he convinced my younger brother. Now my life has changed completely. My brothers are also cleaning the house, which gives me more time to study and attend evening class. And you know what? I’m 3rd of my class now!”
22
The World Starts With …
The World Starts With ‌
23
15 years
I teach my friends about HIV, testing and the advantages of condom use.
When I was younger, before I entered in the programme, I didn’t know anything about HIV. I did not know HIV is a virus which is transmitted by unprotected sex and through breastfeeding. Because of the programme I am now much more aware how to prevent HIV and how HIV is treated. It is important to know your status, to take care of yourself by having treatment and to take care of others by having protected sex. I also teach others about the importance of safe sex and to have a HIV test. I see the change; my friends buy and use condoms, while they didn’t do so before. In my picture you see me teaching about HIV, AIDS and condoms to students in my class. At the bottom you see a clinic, where you can have a HIV test and get condoms.”
24
The World Starts With …
The World Starts With ‌
25
16 years
I learned computer skills, which I can use to contact my friends and to help me become a pilot.
I didn’t know that much about computers before the programme started. But, because we used the computer so much, now I do. I really like that, because I like to contact others through Facebook and internet. Unfortunately, I don’t have a computer at home, so I can only do that at school. I want to be a pilot when I grow up, and I will need computer knowledge then too, so I’m happy I have acquired the skills now.”
26
The World Starts With …
The World Starts With ‌
27
15 years
Being intimate and having a good time is so much more than just having sex.
I discovered something: I used to think that sexuality was only having sex, but now I know sexuality is also the way you walk, talk and touch each other. And that showing your love is not the same as having sex. You can show your love in so many ways! In my picture you see a man and woman meeting each other, flirting and having a good time together. You can see they like each other, but they don’t need to have sex to enjoy each other.”
28
The World Starts With …
The World Starts With ‌
29
15 years
Having a dream is like seeing light in the dark. It helps you to have a goal in life.
In the picture you see me sitting on my table in the classroom. I’m dreaming about my future and looking into the sunlight. If you don’t have a future dream, your life and your future are dark. Having a dream creates light in your life, because you know what direction you’re heading in and you can work hard. I want to be an engineer. I’m good at maths and physics. So that’s my light in the dark. Before the programme I didn’t know what to do in the future. Neither did I talk openly with my parents and sister. But now I do and that’s a good thing, because I need them to reach my goal, for financial support and to advise me. That’s also an effect of The World Starts With Me, because we learned to communicate and ask for support. Besides becoming an engineer, in my future there is also love and a girlfriend. In my ideal relationship we would discuss everything freely and openly. I see a lot of relationships around me that are not equal and open, and these couples often break up in the end. I would advise everyone to follow this programme, because it teaches you good behaviour, and to stay focused on your future.”
30
The World Starts With …
The World Starts With ‌
31
15 years
I understand why my body changes, and I feel confident and relaxed about it.
I learned a lot from The World Starts With Me, but most importantly I learned about puberty and body changes. I understand my body better, I feel more relaxed and confident, and also: I don’t feel embarrassed any more when a boy approaches me and touches me in a friendly way. That’s why I drew this picture. All this information is very helpful. I want to make sure other girls are also aware of these things. I believe that currently, many girls in my school don’t understand or expect these body changes, menstruation for instance, and can get very confused and scared by the time they enter puberty. I only talk about this to my friends at the moment, but in the future I would like to tell many more people about it. And because the programme and my teacher gave me a lot of confidence, I think I will be able to do it.”
32
The World Starts With …
The World Starts With ‌
33
16 years
We can’t discriminate against people living with HIV! I want to liberate people from that stigma.
My neighbour is HIV positive. I used to avoid her because I thought her disease was contagious by just talking to her or eating her food. She was lonely I think. In the lessons about HIV in The World Starts With Me I learned how transmission actually happens, and also how lonely and cast out people with HIV actually can be. I wanted to do something about that. I now help my neighbour by doing groceries, cleaning, and washing clothes. I think people living with HIV should be treated with love and respect. They should be able to live among us in peace. They are human beings too! I think our community needs that knowledge. With the right knowledge we can also prevent the virus from spreading, so we need to encourage people to get tested for HIV regularly.. In my drawing you see a person living with HIV, being liberated by me from the prison they lived in, the prison of segregation and isolation.”
34
The World Starts With …
The World Starts With ‌
35
16 years
I learned about supporting friends and the importance of education. I convinced my friend to stop using cigarettes and go back to school.
36
The World Starts With …
In my picture you see that I show my friend the way back to school, and stay away from cigarettes. She used to smoke cigarettes and not attend school. That’s a big problem, because without education she would not have a bright future. In the programme I learned about drugs, about advising my friends and the importance of a future dream. So I convinced her to go back to school and she listened. Now she is attending school again and she has quit smoking.”
The World Starts With ‌
37
16 years
I tell my friends to have a goal in life. A dream can help you to work hard and reach your goal. I want to be a doctor.
When you have a dream for the future, you know the direction you will have to take in life. The World Starts With Me told me that. And now I am teaching this to others. In my drawing you see a person without a dream, using drugs and being on the wrong track. Then he starts dreaming and knows he has to change direction. The river is a symbol for all the ups and downs you have to face in life, but I’m there as a guide in the boat, and help them to the region of success at the other side. I tell my friends and peers how important it is to have a future dream and to be focused. That is how it worked for me: in the programme I discovered I wanted to be a doctor. That helped me to work harder in school, and improve my grades. Especially for Ethiopian girls it can be hard to reach their goals. They often cannot attend class because they have to work in the house, or they are raped or abducted. Hopefully, my support will help them to make it after all. Just like me.”
38
The World Starts With …
The World Starts With ‌
39
15 years
I want to stop female genital cutting! Every girl should lead a happy and successful life!
A lot of women get circumcised in Ethiopia in the rural areas. This is a terrible practice because it is not only very painful and gives serious health risks at the moment of the cutting, it also reduces pleasure in sex and gives problems with menstruation and giving birth later in life. And no girl should go through that. I knew about female genital cutting before the programme, but now I know better what the consequences really are for a girl. It seriously decreases her chances to be happy and lead a successful life. In my drawing on the left you see a rural girl that is being cut and is crying. On the right you see what her life would be like if she would not have undergone this terrible practice. Then she could have been well educated, successful and happy. That’s the future I want to help achieve. Stop bad cultural practices. Stop female genital cutting!”
40
The World Starts With …
The World Starts With ‌
41
16 years
I have so many friends now, I am no longer lonely.
The picture shows how the programme helped me to make friends. The picture shows a ‘before image’ with two figures walking to school separately, followed by an ‘after image’ with lots of friendly faces. The programme gave me the confidence and the skills to talk to others. I really needed that, because I just moved here with my family and I knew no one. I just walked to school and back home on my own. Now I don’t have to do that anymore, I’ve made many friends. Because of the programme I realise how important having friends is. I am no longer lonely.”
42
The World Starts With …
The World Starts With ‌
43
15 years
I want to be part of a strong and bright generation of young people.
I drew a picture of a strong, bright generation of young people: an athletic man in between two students graduating from university, who were able to succeed as they worked hard and did not take drugs. I know students who do, and they are not successful in their education. Young people are the generation of the future, so I want to make sure they are strong, fit and well educated. Just like me. The programme let me discover my future dream, being a professional football player. That made me realise I have to work hard and practise as much as possible. If I would use drugs, I would not be able to reach my goal. That’s why I am also educating my peers about the dangers of drugs. That is especially difficult with friends who take drugs, because they might be violent. So I choose my battles.”
44
The World Starts With …
The World Starts With ‌
45
And it’s going to be a better place!
46
The World Starts With ‌
Rutgers WPF recognises that many young people do not have access to comprehensive sexuality education. Therefore, we have developed tools and materials to make it easier to deliver clear and honest life skills education for young people of different ages, in different settings and with different abilities and backgrounds, including in countries where sex is a taboo subject. www.rutgerswpf.org Educaids considers education as crucial to promoting sexual and reproductive health for young people. For every new generation, for each girl or boy, education is a ‘window of opportunity’ for the improvement of peoples’ well-being and particularly for teaching how to enjoy and claim a safe sexual and reproductive life. www.educaids.nl Development Expertise Center – Ethiopia promotes basic education and vocational skills training programmes for disadvantaged children, young people and adults and offers technical assistance to local practitioners in Ethiopia. www.decethiopia.org
Supported by © All rights reserved Rutgers WPF, Utrecht, April 2014 Design: www.janeshepherd.com Print: Raddraaier, Amsterdam, www.raddraaier.nl Photography: Michael Tsegaye/Africa Interactive, all rights Rutgers WPF The World Starts With …
47
Comprehensive sexuality education offers a wide range of topics related to sexuality with a positive focus on sexuality and youth. In comprehensive programmes, young people are perceived as capable beings who need full information in order to make their own decisions. This is their right. Sex is something beautiful, powerful and enjoyable, as long as both partners are ready to experience it, are consensual, find it pleasurable and protect themselves and each other. This is why comprehensive sexuality education not only increases knowledge, but also helps develop attitudes and master skills needed to bring into practice decisions made. Young people feel more confident and have more self-esteem. They learn the importance of pursuing education and respecting others regardless of gender or sexual orientation. What is the real effect of sex education on the lives of young people? We asked students in Ethiopia to visualise the impact of comprehensive sexuality education on their lives and relationships. What they have to say demonstrates the importance of access to comprehensive sexuality education for gender equality, empowerment and sexual and reproductive health and rights for all.
PO Box 9022 | 3506 GA Utrecht | The Netherlands Oudenoord 176–178 | 3513 EV Utrecht | The Netherlands t +31(0) 30 231 34 31 | e office@rutgerswpf.nl www.rutgerswpf.org