Watch on UNESCO RABAT YouTube channel
On July 15, 2020 from 10:30 am, the UNESCO Office for the Maghreb, in partnership with the representation of UNFPA in Morocco, and with the support of UNAIDS, is organizing a webinar entitled "The role of the media in raising awareness of the importance of educational programs linked to comprehensive sex education (ESC) "*.
The objective of this initiative is to discuss the role of the media and new technologies in: (1) The promotion of effective ESC educational programs adapted to each of the target audiences; (2) Awareness of sexual health issues and the fight against stigma; (3) Mass information of young people on existing resources in the area of CSE.
The webinar will bring together experts from the Higher Institute of Information and Communication, the Forum of Young Journalists of Morocco, representatives of civil society, professional journalists, as well as experts from UNESCO and UNFPA.
Interventions will focus on perspectives and recommendations regarding the role that the media can play in raising awareness of the importance of educational programs related to comprehensive sex education. The speakers at this webinar, the first step in a series of activities to strengthen the commitment of journalists to promote ESC, will address three main axes:
(1) The role of journalists in promoting CSE;
(2) The obstacles and difficulties encountered by journalists in dealing with themes related to ESC;
(3) Defining the training needs of journalists in this area.
UNESCO and UNFPA are convinced of the crucial role of the media on the issues that govern the ESC, which is sometimes seen as having content that could influence the increase in the frequency of sexual intercourse or the number of partners among young people.
This misunderstanding of the objectives of these programs, which are weakly present in the education system and the media, linked to the embarrassment of the teaching staff and of the relatives sometimes preferring to avoid dealing with these sensitive questions, leads to a deficiency, even an absence of information for young people.
They then turn more and more to the Internet, the media and social networks, to obtain information and photos related to sexual activity, often incorrect and inappropriate content, reinforcing harmful gender stereotypes, increasing exposure. to pornography, which is often violent.
True catalysts of development, the media here have a real opportunity to empower young people through reliable, documented and non-judgmental information on sexuality and interpersonal relationships, stressing the importance of programming such learning.