A staggering number of women and adolescents in Mongolia have difficulty in achieving reproductive health due to financial shortfalls, insufficient sex-ed, and weak overall health systems. It is estimated that Mongolia has 3,500 teenage pregnancies per year, roughly 14% of pregnant teenage girls undergo abortions, and more than one-third of contagious disease cases are related to STDs. These statistics illustrate sexual and reproductive health services in Mongolia are failing to provide knowledge they need to lead reproductively healthy lives. In response, the AWARE project is aiming to improve the community by collaborating with key stakeholders to integrate comprehensive sex-ed into schools — a critical step for ensuring the next generation leads a safe and secure life. The project is also aiming to empower both girls and boys by reducing the stigmas and taboos associated with discussing menstruation and sexual health, enabling them to approach 8.
sex-ed more comfortably and candidly.
Target group: Women & Adolescents
Proposed solution: Delivering accessible sex-ed information through social media, collaborating with administrative-level stakeholder (Ministry of Education and Science) to determine shortfalls and necessary improvements in sex-ed taught in Mongolian high schools, aiming to ultimately achieve greater developmental impact in policy.
Social media: Instagram – @aware_mgl
Short-term goals/results: In the short-term, the project aims to target young audiences to deliver more focused and accessible sex-ed information through online platforms on topics such as prevention of STDs, unwanted pregnancy, and contraceptive methods.
Long-term change: In the longer term, the project aims to create an enabling environment that includes policies, regulations and funding to support and sustain comprehensive sexuality education at local level.