Even though certain political factions in the country consider sex education a forbidden subject, there are many trying hard to spread the right kind of awareness on it. The Family Planning Association of India (FPAI) is one such organisation which has taken it upon itself to provide comprehensive sex education to school-going children and youngsters across the city.

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Last year, up to 80,000 adolescents were made aware of issues pertaining to gender, sexual and reproductive health as well as HIV, sexual rights and sexual citizenship, pleasure, violence, diversity and relationships by the FPAI through a training module. "Nearly 70% youngsters who completed this 12-hour training session were from schools or colleges, and 30% were out of the school settings. We have trained 2,555 peer educators and 2,051 teachers to provide CSE to children," said Sujatha Natarajan, president, FPAI.

Under peer pressure, boys often wonder if kissing girls on their first date is permissible and raise questions on this at workshops, said Amita Dhanu, who heads the CSE programme at FPAI. And in the company of their peers they brag about sexual adventures, mostly fantasies, to impress them. "Such behaviour is discouraged. At the workshop they are made to understand the healthy way to approach a relationship," said Dhanu.

Elaborating on their mode of training, she said the programme went beyond explaining the varying biology of a male and a female, and touched upon the crucial dilemmas of the youth when dealing with peer pressure or misconceptions about sex.

"Through activity-driven workshops we drive home the point that coercing a partner into sex is a big no-no. Girls and boys are made to understand that no one can coerce them to act in a way that they wouldn't want to act," explained Dhanu.

"They are taught critical thinking, negotiation skills, way to develop self-confidence and fellow-feeling. After holding workshops for 400 adolescents in Dharwad (Karnataka), it was observed that boys stopped eve teasing girls in schools," she said.

FPAI is now urging parents, teachers and the young in general to volunteer for the cause. "Currently we are providing CSE workshops to ten semi-government-aided schools in Mumbai. We need more volunteers as peer educators to reach out far and wide in the city," said Dr Kalpana Apte, assistant secretary general, FPAI.

In 2006, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Kerala, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh stopped meting out sex education as part of school syllabus after the respective state govts opposed the Union govt's decision to implement the United Nations-approved syllabus.

What is comprehensive sex education (CSE)?It equips the young with knowledge, skills, attitude and values to determine and enjoy their sexuality—physically and emotionally, individually and in relationships. Critical thinking, negotiation skills, self-confidence and developing of empathy for one another is taught in the programme.How many have been provided CSE in 2013?80,000 adolescents in the 10-14, 15-19 and 20-24 age groups were given separate training in schools, colleges and communities in modules comprising 10-12 hours.Want to become an CSE volunteer?Parents, teachers and young people interested in being peer educators and volunteers for teaching CSE in schools, colleges and communities can contact Family Planning Association of India (FPAI), Bajaj Bhavan, Nariman Point, Mumbai–21, Tel: 022-22029080, www.fpaindia.org. They can volunteer for a limited number of hours over the weekend or the week.