I am Dr. Saroj Gumaste, consultant in reproductive and sexual health. I am Honorary National Secretary of the Council of Sex Education and Parenthood International, and I’m a Consultant to Adolescent Education Program, Central Board of Secondary Schools, Ministry of Human Resources, Government of India. I’m also a Director of Zaff-Jay Medical Services, which has a chain of medical centers, and conducts investigations on sexually transmitted disease and HIV.

What is the title of your presentation?
The title of my presentation is Why Focus on Adolescent Sexuality.

What do you want your audience to learn from your presentation?
The important component of sexuality education, I would also put it as a value-based sexuality education. For adolescents, it is necessary life skills to handle the information regarding sexuality and a role of peer educators, because children and adolescents prefer to get information from their peer group, but the information on sexuality education is like a sword. Unless one has the life skills to handle the information, and knows which way to use the information, this information can be lethal.

What do you mean by a value-based system?
The education has to go with Indian values, and must also be age-appropriate. Small children cannot be loaded with a lot of information. If and when they ask, they should be provided with the right and scientific information, as for the value and culture of Indian society. I feel that parents are the first ones to impart education to the children on these issues, and children prefer to get first-hand information from their parents when they are small. So parents have to be well-equipped with this education, with the information, and whenever they are not able to handle this, they could approach the schoolteachers. Schoolteachers are next – and they should be well-equipped with the information regarding sexuality.