Webinar: Comprehensive sexuality education and access to contraception during crisis

The COVID-19 pandemic creates new challenges for both the access to contraception and on ensuring comprehensive sexuality education. In this webinar we will discuss the consequences the pandemic has had so far for young people’s access to sexual and reproductive health services and explore ways to ensure that their rights are maintained – also during crisis. 

The webinar will be held online at Zoom and in English. You can register for the webinar by 16 May!

We are already witnessing a shortage of contraceptives. There are delays in all parts of production. There is a shortage of raw materials, production stoppages at the largest factories in Asia, airports and ports are closed, and there is less distribution also within the countries. A number of pharmacies and clinics have reduced opening hours or are closed. What consequences will this have? And what can be done to prevent further shortages?

Most governments around the world have temporarily closed educational institutions in an attempt to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. What impact will lockdowns and keeping schools closed for months have on youth’s access to information and services? 

What actors are needed to ensure comprehensive sexuality education and access to contraception for young people? What role can Norway play in securing access to sexual and reproductive health and rights in a time of crisis? 

These are some of the questions that will be addressed by our guest speakers. We have invited representatives from our sister organisations Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana (IPPF Ghana) and Palestinian Family Planning and Protection Association (IPPF Palestine), UNFPA, Norad, Norwegian civil society organisation YMCA-YWCA Global and our youth organisation Seksualpolitisk Nettverk for Ungdom (SNU). 

Programme

17.30    Welcome by Berit Austveg, Chair, Sex og Politikk

17.45    Consequences of COVID-19 and the way forward to increase young people’s access to SRHR – two country cases:

• Abena Acheampong, Executive Director, Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana (PPAG)
• Ammal Awadallah, Executive Director, Palestinian Family Planning & Protection Association (PFPPA)
• Kristine Blokhus, Representative, United Nations Population Fund, Palestine

18.15    Panel debate led by Tor-Hugne Olsen, Executive Director, Sex og Politikk

• Paul Fife, Director, Department for health, education and human rights, Norad
• Sunniva Håberg, Coordinator, YMCA-YWCA Global
• Thea-Caroline Zwahlen, Board member, Seksualpolitisk Nettverk for Ungdom (SNU)

18.45    Questions

 

Register for the webinar by 16 May!