It is very important to conduct education and health-related programs to promote comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) and sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR) of adolescents and young people. Keeping this in mind, the Family Planning Association of Nepal (FPAN) in partnership with Helvetas Nepal has organized an interaction program on 114th International Women's Day on March 7, 2024. In the program, youth from "Promotion of Youth Engagement in Local Governance" program in Karnali and Madhes provinces of Helvetas Nepal and youth members of FPAN, Kathmandu Valley Branch had a wide interaction on how can be sexual and gender-based violence, stigma, and discrimination in Nepalese society, ensuring universal access to SRH services and SRHR for youth guaranteed by the Constitution of Nepal. In the program, they openly interacted on SRH, SRHR, CSE, safe abortion, my body: my rights, meaningful participation of youth and sexual and gender based violences.
In the program, youth from different communities of the association i.e., youth with disabilities, women sex workers, HIV-infected people and others presented their experiences, learnings and how their capacity was enhanced by being associated with FPAN. Barsha Pandey, Nepal representative of The International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF)'s, World Youth Network, also shared her experience.
On the occasion, Association President Himalaya Lal Kasaju said SRH, SRHR and CSE are essential for the holistic development of the youth and it is the responsibility of all levels of the Government, from the municipality to the central level, to ensure the accessibility and availability of all these. Country Director of Helvetas Nepal Dr. Prabin Manandhar stressed the need to make the youth responsible and efficient by ensuring their SRHR at all levels of family and government, not limiting to spoken and written policies and programs, to enable them to make appropriate and timely decisions about their body, health, and future. Equality and inclusiveness have not been implemented in practice. For this, adolescents and youth also need to sharpen their abilities and show the courage to take the lead of the future, ensuring their SRHR, equality and inclusiveness in at all levels from home to government.
FPAN, Central Member Ms. Indra Laxmi Shrestha said it was necessary to ensure equal access and inclusiveness to the social, economic and human development of all classes, ages and communities on the basis of gender.
FPAN, Executive Director Dr. Prabin Shakya said that discussions and interactions on SRH, SRHR and CSE among adolescents and youth would help them to discuss their problems, experiences, learnings, and perspectives and enable them to seek for effectively implementation of youth friendly SRHR policies and programs, and to enable them to make timely and appropriate decisions for their wellbeing.
In the second session of the program, FPAN’s Program Director Dr. Bina Shrestha, Gender and Advocacy Chief Jamuna Sitaula and Valley Branch Manager Sharad Aryal briefed about the services and campaigns being provided by FPAN.
