DISSECTING THAT CHAPTER
What is this project?
#DTC is a project aimed at healthy peer-discussions around sex education, but this project does not focus on the biological aspects alone. As the name suggests we dissect the chapter, ‘The reproductive system’ and bring out the social, political, economic and ecological aspects related to it. Often it becomes difficult for the biology teachers to engage deeply about the reproductive system with children as there is a significant age gap between the teachers and students, which is understandable. It has emerged through several sex education programs that peer education works the best for teaching children about this topic. With this method children drop inhibitions and come up with questions; the project also encourages children to feel confident about any queries related to the topic. This is of utmost importance as misinformation can lead to bad choices, unhealthy practices, STIs and even unwanted pregnancies among teenagers and well into adulthood and the generations they influence in the future.
Hence, these are simple conversations focused around awareness at different levels about sex education, menstruation and other queries related to puberty. Along with this, the project will also shed light on the practices and taboo associated with bodies. Many misconceptions in their young minds lead to disturbing behaviour towards fellow students like mocking or being non-cooperative. This program will tell them what to do in case they notice changes in their classmates due to puberty. For example: Some boys develop feminine characteristics during puberty and girls might face a lot of embarrassment due to things like facial or body hair. This program aims at bridging that gap and addressing issues that are not talked about.
Why this project:
Often it is seen that the chapter on reproductive health is not focused on much and there is a hurry and anxiety among the teachers and students to get past it. A new emerging trend of “Googling” the information might lead young minds to make choices based on half baked knowledge. Google does provide information, but from a vast sea of information, it is not easy to know which version to stick to. Dissecting that chapter will not aim at teaching the reproductive system but the social, ecological, and economic issues surrounding it. For example: it is important that young minds make an informed choice about what products to choose from while menstruating. Most of the girls who know about these products are merely informed about sanitary pads and in a few cases about tampons. Our campaign aims at informing then about other products like cloth pads, proper use of cloth and cups as an eco-
friendly way of managing periods.
Another important aspect of this project is to focus on teaching how to respect fellow beings. The project focuses on the importance of private space and consent. As many children get introduced to sex through pornography these days, which is readily available on any electronic device. It can lead to children developing wrong notions about consent. This project will hence will also be a gender sensitisation, with a specific focus on consent.