Strengthening Adolescent Girls with Sex Education

Kolkata Sanved collaborated with Jeevika Development Society in Joka and Institute of Psychological and Educational Research (IPER) Lake Gardens, to conduct  Dance Movement Therapy based Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) workshops over a period of six months.

The participants were young adolescent girls between the age group of 12 years to 18 years. The participants at Jeevika were from remote villages of South 24 Parganas and the participants at IPER belonged from marginalized sections of the community at Lake Gardens in the city of Kolkata. In both cases the partner organization assessed that the youngsters often faced various types of gender-based violence and are prone to become prey due to lack of knowledge about basic rights especially sexual reproductive health rights. The rate of child marriage is also high in the areas where these children live. Topics discussed during the sessions were on body awareness, body mapping, Sex and Gender, Gender stressors, Menstrual Cycle and Reproduction, HIV, navigating safe relationships and understanding safe space.

The group had great enthusiasm in attending the sessions. They were able to follow instructions while doing the movements. The girls have some restrictions at home, like pressure of getting married, resistance towards education but they are still trying to complete their schooling in spite of the resistance. They were able to identify the gender based stereotypes and restrictions that they have to face at home as they are girls. Sessions  related to safe and unsafe relationships and the concept of consent, sexual intimacy, family planning methods were discussed with the group to make them aware about their sexual reproductive health rights.