FEMALE MP'S SPEAK OUT ABOUT "SEX ED" INSTRUCTION IN ARMENIA
Grisha Balasanyan
hetq
13:55, October 31, 2011
>From 1988 to date, some 1,116 HIV cases have been reported in Armenia -
140 in 2010.
70.7% of the cases involve males and 29.3% females. 2% of the cases
involve minors. 57.5% of those with HIV are citizens in the 25 -
39 age group.
These are official statistics but it is no secret that many with the
virus are too afraid or embarrassed to seek medical treatment.
When it comes to sex education in the schools, ARF MP Lilit Galstyan,
laments the fact that society prefers to avoid the topic.
She says that this insincere modesty doesn't mean that the issue
doesn't exist and that there are civilized approaches to provide sex
educational instruction to children from an early age.
MP Galystan says that while the official stats are not overly alarming,
this doesn't mean that preventative steps shouldn't be taken now
given that there appears to be a rise in the number of HIV cases -
especially in minors.
She says that schools must do more in this regard and laments the
fact that she has overheard girls in the 4th and 5th grades talk about
how they want to appear "sexy" and land financially secure husbands.
Prosperous Armenian Part MP Nayira Zohrabyan asks why the school
system cannot come up with an overall sex ed curriculum and says the
time for such an initiative is long overdue.
There is a problem of sexually transmitted diseases here in Armenia.
It's not all that bad when compared to other countries, but the
issue exists.
School pupils must attend classes in sex education buy I am not an
expert in the field.
As I parent, I have chosen the traditional Armenian approach when it
comes to protecting my daughter. I severely restricted who she sees
and where she goes. A lot of things were off-limits to her.
She couldn't leave the house after 9pm or frequent a cafe without
my knowledge.
Maybe I've been too strict with her but I chose the best alternative
possible. I taught my daughter all she needed to know myself, lest
she get her info from unreliable sources.
Heritage Party MP Anahit Bakhshyan says that girls must remain virgins
before getting married.
Children reach an age when they become interested in their bodies
and must receive proper instruction.
I am a 64 year-old woman but I have trouble stating what the best
approach to teaching kids about the birds and bees is.
I received no such advice from my mother and there were days that my
mind got muddled.
With my own three daughters, I've spoken to them about such matters
to a degree.
It was tough speaking to my eldest daughter. She then passed on the
information to her sisters.
I cannot state with any absolute certainty whether students in the
upper grades should be taught about sex or not.
Any instruction must be morally grounded. Our bodies sometimes demand
crazy things but these passions need to be reined in.
Had my daughter been sexually active while at school I would have
been terribly upset but not hysteric.
From: A. Papazian
Grisha Balasanyan
hetq
13:55, October 31, 2011
>From 1988 to date, some 1,116 HIV cases have been reported in Armenia -
140 in 2010.
70.7% of the cases involve males and 29.3% females. 2% of the cases
involve minors. 57.5% of those with HIV are citizens in the 25 -
39 age group.
These are official statistics but it is no secret that many with the
virus are too afraid or embarrassed to seek medical treatment.
When it comes to sex education in the schools, ARF MP Lilit Galstyan,
laments the fact that society prefers to avoid the topic.
She says that this insincere modesty doesn't mean that the issue
doesn't exist and that there are civilized approaches to provide sex
educational instruction to children from an early age.
MP Galystan says that while the official stats are not overly alarming,
this doesn't mean that preventative steps shouldn't be taken now
given that there appears to be a rise in the number of HIV cases -
especially in minors.
She says that schools must do more in this regard and laments the
fact that she has overheard girls in the 4th and 5th grades talk about
how they want to appear "sexy" and land financially secure husbands.
Prosperous Armenian Part MP Nayira Zohrabyan asks why the school
system cannot come up with an overall sex ed curriculum and says the
time for such an initiative is long overdue.
There is a problem of sexually transmitted diseases here in Armenia.
It's not all that bad when compared to other countries, but the
issue exists.
School pupils must attend classes in sex education buy I am not an
expert in the field.
As I parent, I have chosen the traditional Armenian approach when it
comes to protecting my daughter. I severely restricted who she sees
and where she goes. A lot of things were off-limits to her.
She couldn't leave the house after 9pm or frequent a cafe without
my knowledge.
Maybe I've been too strict with her but I chose the best alternative
possible. I taught my daughter all she needed to know myself, lest
she get her info from unreliable sources.
Heritage Party MP Anahit Bakhshyan says that girls must remain virgins
before getting married.
Children reach an age when they become interested in their bodies
and must receive proper instruction.
I am a 64 year-old woman but I have trouble stating what the best
approach to teaching kids about the birds and bees is.
I received no such advice from my mother and there were days that my
mind got muddled.
With my own three daughters, I've spoken to them about such matters
to a degree.
It was tough speaking to my eldest daughter. She then passed on the
information to her sisters.
I cannot state with any absolute certainty whether students in the
upper grades should be taught about sex or not.
Any instruction must be morally grounded. Our bodies sometimes demand
crazy things but these passions need to be reined in.
Had my daughter been sexually active while at school I would have
been terribly upset but not hysteric.
From: A. Papazian