The healthy life habits that prevent abuses and violence, unwanted pregnancies and risky behaviors among young people are necessary not only for the emotional and physical development of teens, but also for ensuring a productive life in the future, UNFPA Representative to Moldova Rita Columbia stated in an event held to launch the initiative to promote reproductive health rights in vocational education training system on June 12, IPN reports, with reference to a press release of UNFPA Moldova.
Nearly 400 young girls from the Centre of Excellence in Light Industry in Chisinau were informed in March-April about healthy lifestyles and prevention of risky behaviors. In turn, they came up with slogan ideas for the promotion of reproductive health and rights among young people and produced promotional materials (bags, T-shirts) to be used in further advocacy and youth health education activities.
The winners received diplomas and awards from an online shop that supported the initiative. The prizes were handed over by representatives of the UN Moldova, the Embassy of Germany, the Austrian Development Agency and the Embassy of Sweden in Moldova.
Attending the launch, Angela Kutasevich, secretary of state at Ministry of Education, Culture and Research, said the objectives of the initiative match the Ministry’s education policies. “This campaign will ensure the sustainability of the optional course “Decisions for a healthy lifestyle” that is taught in vocational education institutions. The campaign has also another advantage – the students are informed in an informal environment and we will thus have a complex dimension as regards the information and education about the right to health,” stated the official.
Centre of Excellence in Light Industry director Alexandra Raetski said this way the students saved money that they would have spent on materials used in traineeship and improved their professional skills.
The initiative to promote reproductive health rights in vocational education training system will be further replicated in other VET institutions in the country.
