Reports
Reports from the PEI Caucus on Youth Healthy Sexuality:
- Perceptions and Attitudes of PEI Youth,
Parents and Professionals About Sexuality -- Final Report - Perceptions and Attitudes of PEI Youth,
Parents and Professionals About Sexuality -- Summary Document - How Can Parents, Schools, And The Health Sector
Strengthen Our Roles As Sexual Health Educators And Service Providers For Our Youth?
The Prince Edward Island Caucus on Youth Sexual Health is comprised of youth, parents, community and governmnet representatives working ot promote healthy sexualtiy through partnerships, community capacity building and public policy changes.
We the Prince Edward Island Caucus on Youth Sexual Health believe that healthy sexuality is a key component of overal health and wellness, beginning at birth and continuing through the life cycle.
The vision of the Prince Edward Island Caucus on Youth Sexual is that the people of this Province will support policies that increase education, programs, services and resources that promote and improve conditions which would foster healthy sexuality for youth.
- to develop and strengthen partnerships with community organizations and government in order to address policy issues related to youth sexual and reproductive health on PEI,
- to host a two day workshop with the partners to develop skills, capacity and understanding to influence the public policy process related to youth sexual and reproductive health on PEI,
- from this training develop a strategic plan, and
- to use our collective voice and knowledge to move the elements of the strategic plan forward.
- enhancing the skills and capacity of community organizations to engage in and influence helathy public policy,
- developing collaborative relationships between community groups and the government for policy development,
- strengthening networks that enhance our capacity to influence policy development,
- fostering youth and parents' participation in the public policy process,
- impacting positive changes to policy, both formal and informal, that governs the development of healthy sexuality for youth,
- providing resources and support to youth, parents and professionals.
Framing what we mean by Youth Healthy Sexuality
A compilation of World Health Organization's (WHO) definitions from 1986 till present could be presented as such:"Sexuality is an integral part of the personality of everyone: man, woman, and child. It is a basic need and an aspect of being human, from the very young to very old, that cannot be separated from other aspects of human life. It is in the neergy that motivatres us to find love, contact, feel warmth, and initimacy; it is expressed in the way we feel, move, touch and are touched; it is about being sexual as well as sexual. It is the capacity to control and enjoy sexual and reporductive behavior in accordance with a social and personal ethic. Sexuality influences thoughts, feelings, actions and interactions and therby oiur mental and physical health. Since health is a fundamental human right, so must sexual health also be a basic human right... (including) freedom from fear, shame, guilt and false beliefs and other psychological factors. As well as, organic disorders, diseases, and deficiencies that interfeere with sexual and reporoductive function."
Of course everyone isn't familiear with WHO's definition and the term "sexual health" means different things to different people, especially when in reference to youth. It is a topic that provokes a strong emotional response and is an issue that remains taboo for many people.
Another consideration, which creates a barrier is the confusion of terms "sexual health" and "sexual activity". Many people in our society are uncomfortable with the fact that young people are sexuallly actiave. They also think that if we talk about youth sexuality it will mean more sexualtl activity eng engaged in by youth. What mnneds to be emphasized is sexual health my included sexual activity, but the intention of enhancing sexual health is, as previously mentioned in our definition, the capacity to control, enjoy, and iunderstand one's sexual and reproductive behavior. Therefore, all youth have the right and need for good sexual health.
Developing good sexual health requires supports and resources that are available across the life span, as well as across cultural, geographic, linguistic and other categories of diversity.1 These supports and resources are especially important in adolescence. In order to make a successful tranistion from childhood to adulthood, oung people need supports and resouces to help them learn about:
- personal confidence and comfort
- formation of personal ethics to guide sexual health
- relationships and sexual behavior, including sexual orientation
- sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and safer sex
- pregnancy, including outcomes and options
- parenting skills and parental responsibility
Another misconception deterring youth and community, is many people think reproductive health refers only to physical aspects of reprroductive health - things such as fertility, contraception, and STIs. Also, the fact that the words "sexual" and "reproductive" are often used to gether leads some people to believe that these are concerns of women only. In fact, it is much broader that this: it applies to every person, regarless of age or gender.2
Nuturing the forming of confidence, personal ethics and skills will elad youth to making healthy decisions about their sexuality.3 Reaching such confidence is aided by the strengths of a community, particularly, parents and other family members, teachers, the medical professionals, youth advocates/professionals and the faith community. Unfortunately, youth are bombarded with pressures in society. Young people are overwhelmed with sexual images and messages while at the same time caught in trap which places taaboos and judgements in the way of those who seek information aand assistance. To ignore the sexual health needs of our youth is to ignore the well-being of our society.
1 Melissa Doucette, Sexual and Reproductive Health for Youth: Best Practices, Women's Network PEI, Charlottetown, 2002, p. 11
2 Nova Scotia Roundtable on Youth Sexual Health, Just Loosen Up and Keep Talking, 2
3 Health Development Agency, Teenage Pregnancy: An update on Key Characteristics of Effective Interventions, National Health Service, Government of United Kingdom, London, 2001, p. 1
© 2005, Women's Network PEI