Overview
Previous to this year, the Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) committee has been operating as the HIV/AIDS committee here in Thailand. Our prior work has included the annual HIV/AIDS Calendar competition and participating in World AIDS Day activities (handing out condoms at events, etc.). While we would like to continue these activities, we believe that our committee should expand in order meet the rising needs in Thailand.
Currently, Thailand is seeing an increase in teen pregnancy and STI rates across the country. Thailand is ranked second in ASEAN for teenage pregnancy, and 15-16 years old is the country’s age group for first sexual experience, compared to 18-19 just ten years ago (World Health Organization, 2015). These reasons, coupled with the current official approaches (or lack thereof) to sex education (for more, Google: OBEC “No condom machines in schools”), have inspired Peace Corps Thailand to expand the HIV/AIDS Committee to include issues ranging from puberty to family planning to STIs. Our hope is to more fully address the needs of youth and sexual reproductive health in Thailand. For more information about our goals, please read our Work Plan.
Sexual and Reproductive Health Committee Work Plan
Objective: for SRH to be resource for all volunteers doing SRH activities, including enabling PCVs to transfer skills to counterparts through 1. World AIDS Day Activities 2. Creation of a resource guide for PCVs 3. Reconnect counterpart training | ||
Activities | Notes | Due Date |
Quarterly meetings starting in September | What to do for World AIDS Day | September |
Inventory of existing resources | Andrea to send Skylar LifeSkills Manual draft and other resources from Reconnect | September 1 |
Expand the committee | Elizabeth and other committee members to create application and send out to find three 127s | September 1 |
Making connections with existing resources, including PEPFAR, Planned Parenthood, TYT and GLOW | Julia send Planned Parenthood connection | November 1 |
World AIDS Day activities | December 1 | |
Creation of guide for Resources for PCVs | March 1, 2016 | |
Counterpart training: at initial counterpart training or reconnect | SRH committee and training team | At 2016 reconnect |
As a general rule, Volunteers should not be involved in more than one ongoing out-of-site commitment per year quarter. Once your participation is approved, please also remember to complete and submit an Out of Site Request Form for approval prior to each event (see the Volunteer Handbook, section 3.19).
Categories: Announcements, Committees