Adolescence
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© UNICEF Turkmenistan/2004/Pirozzi |
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Life skills-based education is being introduced |
UNICEF is committed to protecting every child from violence, exploitation, abuse and discrimination, challenges that are especially great during adolescence - the difficult transition from childhood.
Like other countries of the former Soviet Union, Turkmenistan has gone through a major transformation since independence in 1991. The scale of change has had a serious impact on children. Families are increasingly under pressure, both economically and socially, while coping mechanisms have been reduced. Children are particularly vulnerable to changes in their environment, and often seek solutions that encourage at-risk behaviour.
With assistance from UNICEF, life skills-based education has been introduced into schools and youth clubs. Educating young people in life skills is the first defence in confronting the dangers of drug abuse and HIV/AIDS, as well as other issues important to their development.
While Turkmenistan currently has a low level of HIV/AIDS infection, the risk of infection due to the virus’ prevalence in the region and across the borders, increased drug use and the incidence of sexually transmitted diseases is a real and serious one.
Originally introduced as an out-of-school approach for youth, life-skills based education promises to be incorporated into the formal education system as early as 2006 academic year.
