AIWA-SF Investment in Knowledge Advancement: Reproductive Health Education in Armenia’s Public Schools

San Francisco, CA — AIWA San Francisco (AIWA-SF) is delighted to share project update which will provide comprehensive health education as part of the public school curriculum throughout Armenia.  In September of 2015, in collaboration with the Arabkir Hospital in Yerevan, AIWA San Francisco (AIWA-SF) Affiliate participated in the revision process of the reproductive health education section of the “Healthy Lifestyle” teacher’s manual, which will be taught throughout public schools in Armenia. The section was revised by AIWA-SF sponsored professionals in the area of public health along with Gohar Panajyan (OB/Gyn practitioner) and Ani Jilozian.

Ani Jilozian is a public health practitioner who has worked extensively in the field of women’s sexual and reproductive health.  She received her master’s degree in global public health from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. As a Fulbright Scholar, she led a qualitative research study that evaluated the social influences that impact abortion and contraceptive use in rural Armenia. At the same time, she also worked with the Women’s Resource Center to evaluate the sexual education curricula in schools across the country.

The new curriculum was adopted in 2017 (some recommendations were not incorporated) and the manual was printed in 2108, which is now being utilized by teachers in public schools in Armenia. The revisions were mainly focused on sexual education, such as sexual hygiene, the menstrual cycle, sexual anatomy and physiology, breast health, sexually transmitted infections, family planning, informed decision-making, sexual rights, discrimination based on gender and sexual orientation, and sexual violence, among other relevant topics. The revisions are based on internationally recognized standards, and the language in the manual is culturally sensitive and appropriate for Armenian youth.

Since its inception, AIWA-SF strongly believes that a policy level approach must be taken to improve the lives of women and girls in Armenia. For this reason, the organization was keen to contribute to support comprehensive sexual education reform. Such education, is known to balance gender roles and expectations, delay sexual initiation, reduce rates of STIs and unwanted pregnancies, and challenge the cultural tolerance of gender-based violence.

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About AIWA-SF:
The Armenian International Women’s Association is a dynamic global 501(c)3 dedicated to empowerment, education and enrichment. Through many projects and initiatives, AIWA is dedicated to inspiring, empowering and connecting Armenian women worldwide.
AIWA-SF is an affiliate chapter of the Armenian International Women’s Association, the EIN #: 04-3113182. Donations marked for AIWA-SF are routed to the affiliate chapter.
To get involved with the AIWA-SF affiliate, please visit http://www.aiwasanfrancisco.com or send an email to aiwasanfrancisco@gmail.com. We are grateful for all donations. To help us promote progress, contributions can be mailed to: AIWA-SF 15559 Union Ave #227 Los Gatos CA 95032