1. CSE Regional Experience Milinda Rajapaksha, Coordinator – South Asia Regional Youth Network (SARYN), IPPF

2. Advocacy Work on Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) in Nepal FPAN Comprehensive Sexuality Education project 1. To establish a sustainable advocacy network to promote CSE 2. To work with key stakeholders to adopt a broad based sexuality education curriculum and build skills to ensure its effective application 3. To advocate on CSE through campaigns and programs 4. To document and disseminate CSE project experience with stakeholders such as MoE, MoY, young people, teachers, technical and steering committee members, concerned group/NGOCC, donor community

3. Young people in Nepal 9 million young people Sexually active before the age of 15 One fifth of these women report that the pregnancy was unintended Low school enrolment, 53 % of women are still illiterate three in four Nepalese women have a demand for family planning, and only two thirds of their demand is currently met

4. Strategies Adopted for Political Change Sensitisation of Government Ministries Involvement of Parliamentarians Involvement of key stakeholders - Teachers, Parents, Media mobilization, Religious leaders Use of IEC materials Evidence generation

5. Integration of CSE into Branches and Projects of FPAN Gaining extra mileage through celebration of events Development of effective tools as groundwork for advocacy Developing advocacy networks in Nepal for CSE Youth involvement

6. Challenges Formation of committees to develop CSE Reference Manual and Training Guide Change in school curricula Need for large public investment Diverse skill-set within the Curriculum Development Team Resistance from a few Policy Makers Working with teachers Turnover of Government Functionaries Coalition Building

7. Lessons Learnt Young people’s involvement is a key to success Evidence generation Involvement of policy makers and government officers Media Mobilization Integration of CSE in other projects of FPAN Need to review existing youth policy in Nepal

8. Key achievements Development of Teacher’s Reference Guide and Training Manual Health and Physical Education subject as compulsory from grades 6 to 8 Sensitization of High-Level Policy Makers Human Sexuality as a separate compulsory course at Tribhuwan University Capacity building of young people NCED’s interest in integrating CSE in regular teacher’s training Partnership development & formation of Concerned Group on CSE Media mobilization Incorporation of CSE as a core advocacy issue for FPAN

9. Beginning Milinda.rajapaksha@gmail.com www.onevoicesouthasia.wordpress.org www.grassroots.net