TY - CONF

T1 - (Re)thinking Gender in SRHR Education: A Kenyan Example

AU - Cone, Lucas Lundbye

AU - Oturai, Olivia

PY - 2018/3/1

Y1 - 2018/3/1

N2 - Gender inequality and sexual taboos continue to obstruct adequate health promotion and equal access to sexual and reproductive health facilities amongst Kenyan youth. Despite years of rights-based health interventions, 17,5 % of sexual active adolescent women have an unmet need for family planning, 18 % are either mothers or pregnant with their first child at the age of 15-19, and 40 % have experienced sexual violence (DHS, 2014). Menstruation, sexually transmitted diseases, and questions of gender remain stigmatized topics both in public discourse and in schools (Population Reference Bureau). As advisors on project RESPEKT (Reproductive and Sexual Health Program for Kenyan Teenager), we have worked over the past two years to accommodate and re-frame the common approach to education on Sexual and Reproductive Health & Rights (SRHR). Involving more than 1,400 Kenyan teenagers, project RESPEKT applies theory and practices grounded in Paulo Freire’s dialogical pedagogy to promote “reflection upon situationality” (Freire, 1970, p. 109) and consciousness of how hurtful gender norms are created and upheld. Based on our experiences, the poster presents the approach, progress, and tentative results of the program’s work, including our recommendations for ‘thinking gender’ when establishing or improving health education programs in settings saturated with gender-related taboos.

AB - Gender inequality and sexual taboos continue to obstruct adequate health promotion and equal access to sexual and reproductive health facilities amongst Kenyan youth. Despite years of rights-based health interventions, 17,5 % of sexual active adolescent women have an unmet need for family planning, 18 % are either mothers or pregnant with their first child at the age of 15-19, and 40 % have experienced sexual violence (DHS, 2014). Menstruation, sexually transmitted diseases, and questions of gender remain stigmatized topics both in public discourse and in schools (Population Reference Bureau). As advisors on project RESPEKT (Reproductive and Sexual Health Program for Kenyan Teenager), we have worked over the past two years to accommodate and re-frame the common approach to education on Sexual and Reproductive Health & Rights (SRHR). Involving more than 1,400 Kenyan teenagers, project RESPEKT applies theory and practices grounded in Paulo Freire’s dialogical pedagogy to promote “reflection upon situationality” (Freire, 1970, p. 109) and consciousness of how hurtful gender norms are created and upheld. Based on our experiences, the poster presents the approach, progress, and tentative results of the program’s work, including our recommendations for ‘thinking gender’ when establishing or improving health education programs in settings saturated with gender-related taboos.

M3 - Poster

T2 - Thinking Gender

Y2 - 1 March 2018 through 2 March 2018

ER -