KNOW YOUR BODY, KNOW YOUR RIGHTS

Budget and Time Period:

"KNOW YOUR BODY, KNOW YOUR RIGHTS Project had a total cost of Rs. 60,24,600. which was fully funded by ECHO.The program was implemented between 1 september 2019 to 31 march 2023.

Objectives:

• To select and orient youth leaders in Uska Bazar who can effectively conduct workshops on comprehensive sexuality education.
• To identify communities and a cohort of young people at each location who can participate in the comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) workshops.
• To conduct on-ground workshops on comprehensive sexuality education(CSE) with adolescents and young people
• To conduct on-ground CSE workshops with adolescent/young people.
• To conduct on-ground stakeholder meetings, including parents, to ensure their active participation and support in the program.
• To conduct on-ground stakeholder meetings with government departments during the program's duration.

Progress: Selection and Training of Peer Educators

A total of 20 youth leaders were selected from 10 villages in the Uska Bazar block of Siddharthnagar district for the program "Sharir Apna Adhikar" and were provided with orientation and training on comprehensive sexuality education in collaboration with The YP Foundation. after their orientation and training, they were referred to as Peer Educators. Despite two dropouts, 18 Peer Educators remained committed to the program throughout its duration.

Challenges:

The implementation of the body apni adhikaar program in the workplace was a novel idea, and initially, gathering the young leaders proved to be a significant challenge due to familial and social constraints. Additionally, fixing a meeting time that accommodated all the youth was difficult. At the start, there was hesitance and shyness among the leaders to discuss the program's goals, and finding an appropriate meeting place was also a challenge.

Modifications to overcome challenges:

The program leder addressed the challenges by conducting one-on-one talks with the youth leaders, informing them of the program's importance and mobilizing them to participate. The leders also obtained consent from the youth's parents, explaining the program's objectives. As a result, the meetings began to take place at the scheduled time and location.

Progress: Community and Youth Engagement

The program team conducted one-on-one and group meetings with communities and youth in 10 villages for the comprehensive sexuality education program. A total of 263 teenagers from 10 villages were identified and placed into 10 groups, including three groups of adolescent boys and seven groups of adolescent girls. Despite limitations due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the program successfully conducted 13 sessions with a total of 200 youth while adhering to Covid guidelines.

Challenges:

The youth's understanding of comprehensive education was limited, resulting in shyness and hesitation when discussing the issue. During the next session, some participants laughed when they heard about the program's purpose, while others considered it an inappropriate topic. The session could not be conducted in an open environment, and finding a suitable venue was challenging.

Modifications to overcome challenges:

To address the challenges, the program team established regular contact with the participants and youth leaders, held meetings, and informed the parents about the program's importance. They created 10 groups and arranged the meeting place by contacting the village head and the owner of vacant houses.

Progress: Adolescent Group Formation and Sessions

263 teenagers from 10 villages were identified and selected for the "Sharir Apna Adhikar" program and were placed in 10 groups, 3 of which were for adolescent boys and 7 for adolescent girls. 7 sessions were conducted before the pandemic, and 13 sessions were conducted with 200 youth during the pandemic, following COVID-19 guidelines. Pre- and post-tests were administered to assess changes in participants' understanding and attitudes towards comprehensive sexuality education.

Challenges:

Starting the program presented challenges, including participants' parents' desire for immediate results, the peer educator's lack of experience, and shyness and hesitation among participants. Showing and explaining the program's content was difficult, and interruptions during sessions caused difficulties. The Covid-19 pandemic was also a significant challenge.

Modifications to overcome challenges:

To overcome these challenges, the program team prepared the participants and peer educators before conducting each module, creating a positive environment for the sessions. They addressed any issues that arose before or during the sessions, ensuring they ran smoothly without interruptions.

Progress: Stakeholder Engagement

The Covid-19 pandemic posed challenges to the program's operations, but consent was obtained from parents and other stakeholders to resume group meetings. Meetings were held with parents of 10 groups in seven villages, as well as with Pradhan and Panchayat representatives, Kotdars, and Asha workers. These meetings helped to ensure that participants' families were supportive of the program, and that their needs related to health and family planning were being addressed.

Challenge:

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, parents and other stakeholders were hesitant to attend meetings.

Modifications to overcome challenges:

To address the challenge, the program team followed Covid-19 guidelines and personally contacted parents and stakeholders, reassuring them about safety measures during meetings. They also leveraged institutional relations to encourage attendance.

Progress: Government Stakeholder Engagement

The program team established constant contact with government officials in the Health and Education departments, and conducted meetings with officials from various departments, including the Medical Superintendent of Community Health Center, Uska Bazar, Dr. Avinash Chaudhary, Health Education Officer, Mr. Ashok Kumar. A meeting was held with District Program Manager of National Health Mission Mr. Rajesh Sharma, Block Program Manager Mr. Manish Pandey, Block Community Process Manager Mr. Krishna Mohanpandey, ANM. A meeting was held with the District Coordinator (Girls) Mr. Surendra Srivastava, District Coordinator (Community Participation) Mr. Tripurari Mishra of the Education Department These meetings aimed to obtain support and cooperation from the government in the program's efforts to increase awareness and understanding of comprehensive sexuality education among youth in the Uska Bazar block.

Challenge:

Officials avoided meetings due to the Covid-19 pandemic, causing delays in scheduling.

Modifications to overcome challenges:

The program team maintained constant contact with the officials through telephone and raised awareness about the program. They also took the officials' schedules into account and scheduled meetings accordingly.

The "Sharir Apna Adhikar" program successfully addressed the lack of awareness about comprehensive sexuality education among the youth in the Uska Bazar block of Siddharthnagar district. The program selected and trained 20 youth leaders, identified and engaged 263 teenagers, conducted 20 sessions on comprehensive sexuality education, and held meetings with parents and other stakeholders to ensure their support. Overall, the program has helped increase awareness and understanding of comprehensive sexuality education among the youth in the area, which is critical for their overall health and well-being. The program's success can be attributed to the dedication and hard work of the program team, the involvement of community and government stakeholders, and the commitment of the youth leaders and participants.