The gap in sex education
Domestic newspapers and foreign media today quoted data from the Vietnamese
Ministry of Health saying that up to one in five Vietnamese girls have had
abortions before marriage. Although sexual and gender education programs, which
Vietnam calls 'reproductive health', have been continuously expanded, most still
focus on the goal of preventing the spread of HIV/Aids and lack education. about
relationship skills between men and women. That's why, according to Vietnamese
media, only one specialized hospital in Hanoi receives an average of 30 abortions a
day. The same sources say 20% of teenagers aged 15-20 in Hanoi have had sex
before marriage. Ms. Le Thi Minh Chau from the United Nations Children's Fund
in Hanoi told the BBC that Unicef's "Life Skills" project focuses on preventative
sex education. According to her, this project is being implemented in 10 provinces
and cities with an estimated participation of more than 100 thousand teenagers.
However, the project does not provide support for girls after unwante pregnancies
.'There is awareness but lack of skills'
Ms. Chau also said that the reality in Vietnam today is that there is a drastic change
in young people's psychology about sex, while adults still have thoughts of being
restrained, secretive or avoiding when having to talk to men. children about this
topic. Citing the results of the "National Survey on Adolescents and Young
People" jointly carried out by Vietnam and international agencies, Ms. Le Thi
Minh Chau said that between 25-35% of Vietnamese teenagers are respondents
considered premarital sex acceptable. This is a drastic change in the way of
looking at a topic that was considered taboo for many people of previous
generations. According to Ms. Le Thi Minh Chau, although a majority of young
people when asked about safe sex measures were able to answer the question, the
same number did not know specifically how to use condoms. Or for women, the
majority do not know when conception is during the menstrual cycle. Now the
question is what needs to be done to help young people, especially young women,
gain information, knowledge and skills when they have sex.
