IPPF ESEAOR and Family Planning New South Wales (FP NSW) were present at APREMC-II, which took place in-person in Bangkok from 5th to 7th June 2022. This Conference’s theme was ‘Education Recovery and Transformation towards more Responsive, Relevant and Resilient Education Systems: Accelerating progress towards SDG 4-Education 2030’.  The Conference served as a platform for education stakeholders to share successful and innovative education initiatives, discuss challenges, and explore opportunities to accelerate learning for all children and youth, especially for the most vulnerable.  Many education stakeholders highlighted that while the COVID-19 pandemic has presented the region with untoward challenges, it has notably exacerbated a pre-existing learning crisis in Asia Pacific. These substantial learning losses and worsening access to education have led to significant setbacks that jeopardize the region’s prospects for collectively achieving Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4) of the United Nations 2030 Agenda.  Some highlights of our work:  IPPF ESEAOR co-hosted a side event titled “Building Inclusive, Resilient, Gender Equal Societies through Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE)” along with UNFPA Asia Pacific and UNESCO.  We, alongside CSO partner ARROW, used the opportunity during technical sessions to highlight:   CSE is an early intervention strategy to address gender inequality, gender-based violence, early and unintended pregnancies, and the spread of STIs.  Recognize that the provision of CSE is integral to improving the health and rights of adolescents and youth; and realizing gender equality and sustainable development.  Transformative education should include a multisectoral approach – education and health sector, civil society, private sector, and other stakeholders.  Infrastructure needs to be prepared for learners, e.g., sufficient water, sanitation and menstrual health facilities and services in schools and integrate menstrual health into school curricula and ensure that teacher training incorporates menstrual health into comprehensive sexuality education (CSE).  Family Planning NSW, as part of the youth cohort speaking at the closing ceremony, emphasized the importance of equipping young people with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to care for their sexual and reproductive health and wellbeing.  The outcome document - Bangkok Statement 2022 - comprises a series of priority actions and recommendations while acknowledging the region’s extensive diversity and need for contextual approaches to learning in Asia Pacific. The Statement sets out two ‘priority actions’: 1) Safe School Reopening, Learning Recovery and Continuity of Learning; and 2) Transforming Education and Education Systems.  The Bangkok Statement will be shared at the Transforming Education Pre-Summit held on the 28th to 30th June in Paris, France, and the SDG4 Education 2030 High-Level Steering Committee meeting in July 2022. Continued advocacy for CSE and SRHR will be pivotal for the global Transforming Education Summit (TES) during the United Nations General Assembly in September, generating tangible actions and partnerships to transform education systems for all learners.  

Date: Friday, 3 June 2022  Time: 10am – 11.30am BKK / 11am – 12.30pm KL / 3pm – 4.30pm Suva   Organizers: International Planned Parenthood Federation ESEAOR (IPPF ESEAOR), UNFPA Asia Pacific and UNESCO    Speakers:  Results of the Regional CSE Review: Brayant Gonzales, IPPF ESEAOR and Brian Kironde, UNFPA Pacific  Building CSE into national education curriculums: Dr Somolireasmey Saphon, Reproductive Health Association of Cambodia (RHAC)  Age- and developmentally appropriate sexuality education for people with disability: Sera Ratu, Reproductive and Family Health Association of Fiji (RFHAF)  Delivering sexuality education in humanitarian settings: Louria Joy Paragon, Family Planning Organization of the Philippines (FPOP)  Digital solutions to Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE): Jack Martin IPPF ESEAOR Sub-Regional Office for the Pacific (SROP)  Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) is a pillar in delivering high-quality gender-transformative education and crucial to achieving SDG 4 on education. Likewise, it contributes to the fulfilment of SDG 3 on health and SDG 5 on gender equality. CSE protects young people and helps build a safer, inclusive society. CSE also has the potential to prevent and reduce gender-based and intimate partner violence. Our panel speakers will highlight the importance of CSE and its critical role to give young people the knowledge and skills they need to manage their health and form equal, fulfilling, and safe relationships free from discrimination, coercion, and violence.  This session was an inclusive dialogue among multiple stakeholder groups in South-East Asia and the Pacific on the implementation of Goal 4 – specifically CSE - to exchange good practices and innovation, and to reflect on recommendations to accelerate progress. Through this discussion, we aimed to achieve gender transformative education systems and build sustainable and resilient learning frameworks.  Event Summary  UNFPA and IPPF ESEAOR together presented the results of the regional review on the status of in-school CSE and reflected toward full integration of inclusive, resilient CSE in education systems. The discussion was moderated and led by Ana P. Santos, an independent journalist and pleasure advocate.   CSE enables young people to manage their health and form equal, fulfilling, and safe relationships, free from discrimination, coercion and violence  In her opening remarks, Tomoko Fukuda, IPPF ESEAOR Regional Director stressed on ensuring working together collaboratively across various stakeholders. It is important to involve young people in discussions to introduce different learning modalities and enable an environment to support them. CSE can enable a shift towards gender-positive attitudes and increase knowledge of rights, young people, especially girls in all their diversity make autonomous decisions about their bodies, sexuality, and reproduction, to build gender-equal, inclusive societies.   Building CSE into national education curriculum  Dr Saphon talked about Reproductive Health Association of Cambodia (RHAC)’s role in raising awareness about safe sex, consent, and life skills education. RHAC are committed to providing sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services to young people and have played a crucial role in delivering CSE in formal settings by developing evidence informed grade-based curriculum and training over 1,500 teachers. RHAC has delivered CSE sessions in over 400 schools in Cambodia. Their grassroots advocacy both at the national and international levels has successfully manifested into shifting government attitudes and policies related to CSE. Dr. Saphon added that delivering CSE requires financial resources and intense training hence a multi-stakeholder and multi-sectoral approach to the delivery of quality CSE is critical.   Delivering sexuality education in humanitarian settings  Louria Joy Paragon, Family Planning Organization of the Philippines (FPOP) Youth Representative, shared their challenges of delivering CSE in humanitarian settings. The pandemic along with typhoons/ natural disasters disrupted access to SRH services in the Philippines, especially for young people. FPOP recognises that CSE should be delivered in protracted emergencies, alongside high quality SRH services, to address the young people’s needs and aspirations. FPOP train youth volunteers and staff on how to deliver these services in Reproductive Health Medical Missions during humanitarian responses. Louria emphasized investing in and involving young people to deliver CSE in formal and informal settings. All young people should have equal access to CSE at all levels- community and school levels.   Age- and developmentally appropriate sexuality education for people with disability  Sera Ratu, Reproductive and Family Health Association of Fiji, led the conversation on inclusive sexuality education for young people with disabilities. She shared their successful methodology of involving parents, teachers, and students in developing content and building capacity for young people with disabilities. Sera added, it is important to ensure multi-stakeholder involvement in the process to ensure disability inclusive sexuality education is meeting the needs of young people with disabilities. This will also guide the development and implementation of teachers’ training to achieve results.   Digital solutions to deliver Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE)   Jack Martin, IPPF ESEAOR SROP, shared the expanding role of digital learning platforms to deliver CSE and engage young people who often face difficulty in attending conventional classrooms. He demonstrated the newly developed IPPF modules using the Moodle platform to deliver CSE being piloted in selected Asia-Pacific countries. The modules adapt “It’s All One Curriculum” for online learning and aim to equip young people (12 to 24 years) with the right knowledge, skills, and attitude to achieve health and well-being. The Moodle platform provides a flexible learning mode to the user who can learn at their own pace on their computers and smartphones.   Watch the recording below:  

Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) is a pillar in delivering high-quality gender-transformative education and crucial to achieving SDG 4 on education. Likewise, it contributes to the fulfillment of SDG 3 on health and SDG 5 on gender equality. CSE protects young people and helps build a safer, inclusive society. CSE also has the potential to prevent and reduce gender-based and intimate partner violence. Our panel speakers will highlight the importance of CSE and its critical role to give young people the knowledge and skills they need to manage their health and form equal, fulfilling, and safe relationships free from discrimination, coercion, and violence. This session will be an inclusive dialogue among multiple stakeholder groups in South-East Asia and the Pacific on the implementation of the Goal 4 – specifically Comprehensive Sexuality Education - to exchange good practices and innovation, and to reflect on recommendations to accelerate progress.   Date: Friday, 3 June 2022 Time: 10am – 11.30am BKK / 11am – 12.30pm KL / 3pm – 4.30pm Suva (check your timezone here) Registration link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMpce-gqTsvGtcKSoH3Mf1439uxJ4Ko5Dkw Organizers: International Planned Parenthood Federation ESEAOR (IPPF ESEAOR), UNFPA Asia Pacific and UNESCO Topics: Results of the Regional CSE Review: Brayant Gonzales, IPPF ESEAOR and Brian Kironde, UNFPA Pacific Building CSE into national education curriculums: Dr Somolireasmey Saphon, Reproductive Health Association of Cambodia (RHAC) Age- and developmentally appropriate sexuality education for people with disability: Sera Ratu, Reproductive and Family Health Association of Fiji (RFHAF) Delivering sexuality education in humanitarian settings: Louria Joy Paragon, Family Planning Organisation of the Philippines (FPOP) Digital solutions to Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE): Jack Martin IPPF ESEAOR Sub-Regional Office for the Pacific (SROP)

  On March 30, 2022, the Asia Pacific Working Group on Adolescent Girls (AP WGAG),  hosted a virtual side event alongside the 9th Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development. The AP WGAG co-chairs, IPPF ESEAOR and Plan International Asia-Pacific, along with the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) and other partners, organized Build Back Equal for Adolescent Girls.   The session aimed to highlight the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and other crises on adolescent girls’ health, education and well-being and to share best practices and policy recommendations.    Anh Duong, a GPE youth leader and Plan International youth advisor from Vietnam, moderated the panel consisting of youth activists and decision makers.   The pandemic is impacting adolescent girls in many ways   Adolescent girls from around the region called attention to the varied impacts of the pandemic. We heard repeatedly that the pandemic is creating a mental health crisis. Applesta Maryann da Costa from India’s Human Touch Foundation pointed out that education disruption, rising unemployment and inaccessibility to basic amenities are some of the key factors creating anxiety and depression among youth: “The digital divide has further excluded vulnerable communities that do not have access to technology and contributed to elevated levels of anxiety and stress.”  Adolescent girls are also impacted by humanitarian crises and climate change and play a role in addressing them  In November 2021, during the riots in the Solomon Islands, Larisha from the Young Women's Christian Association used the training she received through the Girls Rise Up program to help her community. She said, “We must put adolescent girls and adolescent girls with disabilities at the forefront of all our interventions.”  Ridhima, a young climate activist and president of Save the Children’s Red Alert Network, is fighting the climate crisis in India. She spoke of solutions by women leaders to mitigate the impacts of climate change and emphasized, “It is important to provide a platform and give girls and women [equal] opportunities.”   She added, “We have to change the gain maximization for a few, to risk minimization for all. We need to work together as a collective and solve these problems based on the advice given by the experts.”    Some governments and organizations are finding solutions that work  Gender-responsive education planning     Dr. Hari Lamsal, joint secretary of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, shared Nepal’s success in reaching gender parity in school. However, despite national-level progress, disparities persist at the subnational level and across different communities. “We realized there is a need to develop a composite index, which can trigger resource allocation and strategic interventions.” The ministry, with support from UNICEF, the World Bank and GPE, developed the Equity Index to capture disparities in education. The ministry used the index to identify the most disadvantaged areas and provided additional resources for targeted local government efforts, including the (re)enrollment of girls in school through the Girls’ Access To Education (GATE) program.   Comprehensive sexuality education for all   “Education is the backbone and driving force for achieving all development goals,” said Dr. Yung Kunthearith from the Ministry of Education, Cambodia, who shared his government’s commitment to ensuring education policies are inclusive and equal. “Comprehensive sexuality education will be taught from grades 5 to 12. The Cambodian government is also focused on promoting hygiene and sanitation in schools, focusing on menstrual health care for girls.” He also highlighted that even though the education budgets have been under strain during the pandemic, Cambodia still prioritizes the importance of investing in education for all.   Supporting mental health, food security and menstrual hygiene  Applesta shared Human Touch Foundation’s support for adolescent girls during the pandemic, such as telephonic and in-person counseling, door-to-door delivery of anti-retrovirals (ARVs) and scaling up food security programs with support from the Youth Lead Young Key Population Small Grants Program. The foundation also initiated the EcoSwitch Campaign to support adolescent girls and young menstruators from rural communities across Goa with access to sustainable menstrual products.   At the end of the session, the audience shared their reflections and recommendations, with several key themes emerging: opportunities for adolescent girls to engage meaningfully with decision makers, supportive laws, policies and investment at the country level and the need for urgent cross-sectoral action.   Tomoko Fukuda, regional director of IPPF ESEAOR, remarked, “Adolescent girls are the future … Your voices and needs matter. We recognize that adolescent girls are in so many diverse situations, and when they want to make a decision, [it] is influenced by their environment. We need financial commitments and accessible systems for adolescent girls.”  Anh Duong emphasized, “It is time for us to act now for adolescent girls. Policies and programs must be intersectional and address all forms of discrimination faced by them.”    As Larisha aptly said, “…Please think of our needs. We are here, ready to be consulted on how to ensure responses capture the needs of adolescent girls and girls with disabilities.”  Watch the recording here.  *This blog was published on the Global Partnership for Education website.  About the Asia Pacific Working Group on Adolescent Girls   The Asia Pacific Working Group on Adolescent Girls is co-chaired by the International Planned Parenthood Federation East and South East Asia and Oceania Region (IPPF ESEAOR) and Plan International Asia-Pacific. Members include Asia Safe Abortion Partnership, CREA, Care Asia, Save the Children Asia, ECPAT International, GPE, Girls Not Brides, IPPF South Asia, Pacific Girl, Terre des Hommes, UNICEF, UN Women Asia and the Pacific Regional Office, UNFPA Asia and the Pacific Regional Office, YouthLead and YPEER Asia Pacific.    Contact Persons:  Natassha Kaur, IPPF ESEAOR, AP WGAG Co-Chair: [email protected]  Deepali Gupta, GPE, AP WGAG Member: [email protected] 

12 April 2022: Indonesia has passed the sexual violence bill into law a decade after it was first proposed. The final draft of the law criminalises physical sexual abuse, both in marriage and outside, sexual exploitation, forced marriage, including child marriage, and circulating non-consensual sexual content, amongst others. It also stipulates that a court must compel convicted abusers to pay restitution and authorities to provide counselling to victims. Perkumpulan Keluarga Berencana Indonesia (PKBI) (also known as the Indonesian Planned Parenthood Association (IPPA)), IPPF member in Indonesia, has been actively advocating for this bill since 2017 and has been part of the formal drafting of the bill in the past two (2) years. Eko Maryadi, PKBI’s Executive Director offered these words, “Congratulations to the PKBI Advocacy Team who consistently guarded the draft Bill until it became the Criminal Acts of Sexual Violence Law. The struggle is not over. We still must oversee the operationalisation of the law, and our advocacy and the fight against sexual violence will not stop until it does.” “We welcome the passing of the sexual violence bill in Indonesia and congratulate PKBI, Komnas Perempuan and countless activists and advocates in Indonesia for your tireless fight to ensure all people are safe from sexual and gender-based violence, and survivors have access to justice and support. This is a great win for the sexual and reproductive rights of all Indonesians, especially women and girls”, said Tomoko Fukuda, IPPF ESEAOR Regional Director.

23 March 2022 - On the sides of the 66th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW66), Health Care Without Harm South East Asia (HCWH SEA) and the International Planned Parenthood Federation East & South East Asia and Oceania Region (IPPF ESEAOR) publicly announced a strategic partnership promoting gender-sensitive, climate-resilient women’s and girls’ health agenda across South East Asia and the Pacific. “The climate crisis and the current COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately impact women and girls in the Asia Pacific region, aggravate their situation, restrain their capacity, and expose the weaknesses of the current economic, social and political system as reflected on their health and well-being.” expressed Ramon San Pascual, HCWH South East Asia’s Executive Director.  San Pascual adds that, “the COVID-19 pandemic has not only exposed these challenges but also multiplied the hazards faced by women and girls who often lack access to health services and are left out of formal policy and social protection measures. Even before the pandemic, gender inequity  is also  observed in the healthcare system as well. 70% of the workforce in the healthcare sector are women, and yet the leadership and the specialist roles are assumed by men.” According to Tomoko Fukuda, Regional Director of IPPF ESEAOR, “In climate-disaster situations, women, girls and people with diverse Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, Gender Expression, Sex Characteristics (SOGIESC) are among the most vulnerable not only to the social and environmental impacts of these climate-related disasters, but also from the lack of sexual and reproductive health services.” Fukuda adds that “In the spirit of CSW66, gender equality must be at the center of solutions. Therefore, through joint project initiatives at the country level, this regional partnership aims to provide communities and health facilities with information, skills, and resources to advance the climate, gender, sexual and reproductive health and rights agenda in South East Asia and the Pacific.” As part of the tasks ahead, both organizations are committed to exchanging knowledge and  tools among respective members and partner networks. The partnership launched a pilot project in collaboration with the Reproductive Health Association of Cambodia (RHAC) and Solomon Islands Planned Parenthood Association (SIPPA) to contribute to building climate-resilient, equitable, and sustainable sexual and reproductive healthcare in both countries. In a joint CSW66 statement released by HCWH South East Asia and IPPF ESEAOR , they call on governments in Asia Pacific to address gender inequality and recognize the important role of SRHR in reducing vulnerability to human-induced climate-related disasters and enhancing resilience to climate change.  International Planned Parenthood Federation East & South East Asia and Oceania Region (IPPF ESEAOR) The International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) is a global service provider and a leading advocate of sexual and reproductive health and rights for all. We are a worldwide movement of national organizations working with and for communities and individuals. IPPF ESEAOR supports 23 Member Associations and 2 Collaborating Partners in a total of 25 countries to empower women, men and young people in the most vulnerable situations to access life-saving services and programmes, and live with dignity. Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) in South East Asia Health Care Without Harm - South East Asia (HCWH-SEA) is part of a global nonprofit organization that seeks to transform health care worldwide so the sector reduces its environmental footprint and becomes a leader in the global movement for environmental health and justice. HCWH-SEA is working with hospitals, health ministries, medical professionals, and climate advocates in Indonesia, Viet Nam, the Philippines, Malaysia, South Korea, and Taiwan.