 University students in a reproductive health education programme in Papua New Guinea |
Sixteen university students from the Port Moresby campus of the University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG) have just completed the first part of a Reproductive Health Peer Education training course. The course started on the campus on 24 March and later moved to Motopore Island, concluding on Saturday 5 April.
The training is part of a reproductive health project for youth, funded by UNFPA and implemented through the UPNG, NGOs and Churches. It was developed in recognition of the extent of problems in this area, including teen pregnancies and rising levels of STDs and HIV infection, as well as difficult male-female relations, including violence and rape.
University students in a reproductive health education programme in Papua New Guinea |
The purpose of the workshop was to help students be knowledgeable and comfortable with the subject so that they would be in a good position to educate and support their peers about reproductive health matters. Using young people as a source of information and advice has been found to be a useful mechanism for conveying reproductive health information as they often prefer to discuss such sensitive matters with people of their own age - but this process is often inhibited by their mutual ignorance. By training a core group of young people it is hoped to increase the pool of accurate information amongst their peers and help them to recognize the risks and act responsibly in regard to sexual matters.
The topics covered in the course included emotional and physical health, most at risk groups, myths, definitions of sensuality and sexuality, touching, male-female relationships, factors influencing sexual drive, basic physiology, family planning, STDs and HIV/AIDS: consequences of behaviour, values, human rights and responsibilities, and communication and counselling skills.
Students involved in the course were male and female, mostly aged about 20 years, who came from a variety of provinces and are studying psychology, arts and public administration. Also participating were three lecturers from the Goroka and Moresby campuses. They participated in group discussions, role plays and lectures and were provided with hand-outs and videos from PNG, the Pacific and other countries. The students thoroughly enjoyed the course and actively participated throughout.
At the end they commented on how the frank and open discussions of matters which tended to be "kept in the closet" in the past helped to change their attitudes and made them feel more relaxed and less anxious about this very important subject. Many said that they now recognize the seriousness of the risks and the need to act responsibly and how one's behaviour can impact on others and on one's future. One male student said that he had thought that womanizing was part of a style a man needs to be competitive against other men and that knowing the consequences now he is convinced that he should stick with one partner and not "roam". The discussions on HIV and STDs particularly impacted on the students and many said that they now felt a responsibility to go out and inform others about these very serious risks to wellbeing. The three lecturers also commented on how they wished they had such opportunities when they were younger and how important it was to follow up after the course. Both the students and the lecturers are now planning how to do so.
At the closing ceremony on Saturday, the students concluded the training with some very creative drama and poster presentations which demonstrated how much they had learnt during the course. Before presenting their certificates, the Vice-Chancellor of UPNG, Dr. Rodney Hills, congratulated the students on their work and the way in which they accepted the responsibility to educate and support their peers. He pointed out that this was the first time that such training had been undertaken in PNG and that they were privileged to be part of this and to benefit from the experiences of UN agencies in other countries. He also noted that it was not just PNG that had taboos about discussing adolescent sexuality as all countries had trouble discussing this very important topic and that it was very important that this reticence be overcome - for everybody's sake. It was noted that parents and other adults also need to be much better educated about human sexuality and needed help in being able to discuss the topic. He was pleased that this aspect would also be addressed by the UNFPA-sponsored project.
Role models package
The National Women's Day celebration in Papua New Guinea saw the official launching of the Role Models Package (RMP). The package was officially launched in Port Moresby on 7 April 1997 at the Islander Hotel. Among the guests that evening were Lady Stella Chan, Mr. Peter Barter, Provincial and Local Government Affairs Minister and Mr. Moi Avei, National Planning Minister. The package was produced as a follow up to the Role Model project last year.
Mr. Avei, who with Lady Chan unveiled the package, spoke on the State's contribution to women's advancement and development. He encouraged women to take the initiative in programmes for the advancement and development of women as the State was more often a policy-maker. Lady Chan congratulated UNFPA for putting the package together as she hoped the package would inspire women in PNG in their various career paths to do better. "There are few women in senior positions and young women need examples which would inspire them to continue with their schooling and make them consider entering areas of work which were traditionally male- dominated", said Margaret O'Callaghan, UNFPA Representative. Papua New Guinea like other parts of the world, has broken barriers of male-dominated areas. Women have demonstrated that they are capable of succeding in non-traditional areas.
Papua New Guinea women who have broken barriers to make their mark in the development of the country have been featured in a video documentary, a booklet and posters as mentors for the younger generation. The women who were featured in the package included Josepha Kanawi (Commissioner, Lands Title Commission), Anna Solomon (Editor-in-Chief & Publisher, Word Publishing), Veronica Podgily (Industrial Relations Officer, National Airline Workers Union), Petrina Dikin (Policewoman - Community Relations), Winifred Abaijah (Businesswoman), Jane Mogina (Biology teacher) and Aivu Tauvasa (Chief Executive, Investment Promotion Authority).
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