Talking freely about sexuality in Zambia

Various factors make young people vulnerable to HIV/AIDS: earlier puberty and later marriage, sexual and gender norms, sexual abuse, poverty, mixed messages about sexual behaviour and lack of condoms. Schools and communities in Zambia work together to build knowledge, values and skills and create positive peer pressure to help young people.

The International HIV/AIDS Alliance supports 'Young, Happy,Healthy and Safe' (YHHS), a Zambian non-governmental organisation, to implementa pilot project for improving young people's sexual and reproductive health andpreventing HIV/AIDS.

Leaders, traditional counsellors, young people, teachers,health workers and parents came together with YHHS in 13 schools and theircommunities to analyse causes of vulnerability to HIV/AIDS and suggeststrategies for reducing them.

Traditional counsellors compared their own lives as youngpeople with the current generation and recognised how changes required them toadapt their teachings. Boys are now taught to avoid sexually arousing herbs,having sex with each other and coercing girls into having sex. They learn aboutHIV/AIDS, condoms, gender equality and women's right to sexual choice.

In the Chewa culture, girls who attain puberty learn toperform sexually and show such skills through erotic dances at graduationceremonies. Pressure to practice sex, and abuse from the watching men puts thegirls at risk.

Girls on attaining puberty, now learn about delaying sex by refusingsex and managing sexual urges through masturbation, and about using condomswhen they start having sex. Prior to marriage, they learn about sexualperformance, reducing HIV transmission risks in partners and babies and othersexual health issues.

Teachers, pupils aged 10 to 15 years, the parent-teacherassociation and Ministry of Education staff work with community leaders tocreate a safer sexual environment for children in and out of school. Thisincludes sex education, life-skills lessons for teachers, pupils and parents.It also focuses on education and advocacy for cultural change and stoppingsexual abuse, and liaison with police and leaders in charge of customary legalsystems.

What has changed?

• Teachers,pupils and parents talk more openly about sexual life, to take betterdecisions and develop skills to resist rights violations.
• Pupilsand parents report that there is less sexual harassment by school matesand teachers: pupils are able to assertively refuse sex and report abuse.
• Traditionalleaders now advise teachers not to allow parents to marry off their girlsearly.
• Publicdancing by girls has stopped in the communities where the project works.
• Teachersreport a drop in the numbers of girls leaving school because of pregnancy.

What are the lessons?

• Whencommunities and schools work together sex education becomes more relevant,coherent and effective for young people in and out of school.
• Trustedadults with knowledge of sexual health; clear boundaries for behaviour;life-skills and a supportive school and home environment are important.
• Sexeducation can enable young people to talk about sexual issues and genderin safer and non-stigmatising ways if initial lessons build trust andco-operation.
• Carefullymanaged single and mixed gender group learning activities can buildpositive peer pressure for more caring and equal gender relations.