Young people in Ukraine unite to help adolescents stay healthy
Participants of the UPSHIFT programme are helping to deliver crucial sexual and reproductive health education to young people in Ukraine.
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According to a U-Report survey, more than 30 per cent of young Ukrainians want to learn more about the differences between male and female bodies, and 50 per cent believe that lectures on sexual hygiene should be part of the school curriculum.
"I run a journalism club, and I often hear from young people that they lack knowledge about sexuality,” says 21-year-old Anastasia, who is determined to change this. “They search for information online, but it often leaves them more confused and insecure.
To address this gap and raise awareness about health, safety and relationships among adolescents and young adults, young people like Anastasia have stepped up to help as part of the latest UPSHIFT youth innovation programme, run by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). Participants have developed their own initiatives, receiving the necessary training, mentorship and resources to bring their projects to life.
The Progress team
Volodymyr, Vitalii, Kira, Veronika and Kateryna from Reshetylivka, in the Poltavska region, joined UPSHIFT as the Progress team. They organized a series of sex education workshops for students in grades 8 to 11. In partnership with the Poltava Regional Centre for HIV Prevention and AIDS Control, the team also established a mobile unit that offers free and anonymous rapid testing for diseases such as HIV, hepatitis B and C, and syphilis to local residents.
"The main goal of our project is to inform adolescents and young adults about the importance of regular testing for infectious diseases. We also educate them on how to protect themselves from infection.”
The Blue Honesty team
In Sumy, the Blue Honesty team – Ilona, Daria, Margarita, and Vladyslav – has been leading trainings on key topics such as ‘Relationships and values’, ‘Sex, gender and sexual orientations’, and ‘Violence and safety’, with the help of a sexologist. The team has also launched an information channel that provides verified content for young audiences, and established a sexuality education corner at a local youth centre, where visitors can access informational leaflets and free contraceptives.
"Sexuality education is about building healthy relationships, first with yourself and your body, and then with others,” says 18-year-old Ilona. “We focus on safety and consent, while providing honest information. Teenagers and young adults need this knowledge.”
The Conscious team
In Avanhard village, in the Odeska region, Anastasiia, Valeriia and Yuliia have created a project that brings vital sex education to local teenagers. With the help of a hired expert, they conducted training sessions on personal boundaries, physiological differences between boys and girls, menstruation, safe sex and contraception. The Conscious team plans to make these sessions a regular part of education in their community.
"Sexuality education is important because it helps adolescents receive accurate information about their bodies, consent, and the stereotypes surrounding the topic. When conducted by a professional, adolescents can develop trust and understand that the topic is not as intimidating as they may think, and that it is essential for them to learn about it," says 21-year-old Anastasia.
More than 400 adolescents and young people have participated in these three sexuality education projects, becoming part of these transformative initiatives.
UPSHIFT is a youth innovation programme implemented by UNICEF. The full-scale war in Ukraine has caused a number of serious humanitarian challenges in all regions of the country. As young people are one of the driving forces of communities, UNICEF has engaged UPSHIFT participants in addressing these challenges. Over the past year, 459 teams (2,003 young people aged 14 to 24) have taken part in the UPSHIFT programme and developed their projects, which have reached more than 30,000 beneficiaries to date.
*U-Report is UNICEF's digital platform that brings together proactive young people who express their opinions and seek to bring about change in their country. This survey, conducted in January 2024, involved 2,534 respondents.
