Girls education stressed for sexual, reproductive health

Speakers on Saturday stressed the importance of including the subject 'sexual and reproductive health' in school curriculum for emphasizing the adolescents on their rights to safe reproductive health education and physical change from their normal growth and development.
They made the demand at a human chain arranged by the National Committee on the Observation of the International Rural Women Day to mark the day in front of National Press Club.
According to the organizer the committee and their members in 64 districts are observing the World Rural Women's Day this year today through organizing rallies, seminars, honor to especially rural women for their extraordinary contribution for public drama to raise the awareness on the aforesaid issue.
The human chain titled 'Sexual and Reproductive health rights of the adolescents: Our Commitment ' was moderated by national committee secretariat coordinator Mustafa Kamal Akanda. Secretariat Coordinator Ferdous Ara Rumee National Committee Chairperson Shamima Akhter, Aminur Rasul Babul of Unnayan Dhara Trust, Sanat Kumar Bhowmik and Shawkat Ali Tutul of COAST Trust also spoke.
The main objectives including in the textbook is create to awareness among the adolescents about physical change, sexual and 'reproductive health, hygiene, nutrition, dowry, child marriage for their normal and safer growth and preventing social crimes.
The speaker narrated different problems being faced by the adolescents at the juncture of their ages when physical change begins and way-outs to overcome the situation.
They emphasized the importance of learning about physical change, sexually transmitted diseases, premature pregnancy and complicacy during pregnancy, safe delivery and motherhood and other related issues.
According to the World Health Organization, people of age between 10-19 are considered as adolescents. About one fourth of total population in Bangladesh is adolescent. In our school books there are some lessons on puberty, but these are not enough to learn for the adolescent girls.    �BSS