GRPA seeks to redefine how citizens view sexuality

Oct 03, 2014 News

Redefining how we understand sexuality is one way the Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association (GRPA), is working on changing the country’s perception on issues related to sexual health and education. The non- profit organization located on Quamina Street, Georgetown, believes that this change is important to aid in how citizens practice responsible sexual behaviour and ultimately spur healthy developmental patterns in the Guyanese society.
In an interview with this newspaper, GRPA Executive Director Patricia Sheerattan-Bisnauth, Programmes’ Director Renuka Anandjit and Youth Coordinator Norwell Hinds elaborated that the agency can play a meaningful role in “shifting the conversation of sex from talking about just sexual acts to talking about people and relationships”.
Sexuality, according to Anandjit, is “an expression of self” but the misconception that the general public has, is that this type of expression means explicit and inappropriate displays of affection. She said that she, as well as other representatives, hopes that through the agency’s “sex and sexuality counseling”, the GRPA can educate young people so as to advance “the conversation” and understand that sexuality “transcends” the sexual act.
Hinds elaborated that while sexuality includes sexual intercourse “it is not the beginning or end of sexuality”. He went on to reaffirm that sexuality is “an expression of self” that is done through various aspects of life, such as what we wear, how we talk, and can even affect a person’s spiritually.
Bisnauth explained that as a religious minister she understands that it is a sensitive topic and that the programmes which the GRPA has in place to handle it, are age-appropriate and culturally integrated into the conversation.
According to the GRPA personnel, the organization also collaborates with other Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs), faith-based groups, community groups and health service organisations. The difference between the GRPA and other health clinics around Guyana is that along with the health services, the agency also provides human services, such as counseling and outreach programmes.
The association’s Programmes’ Director added that as part of their human services, they provide youth clinics for all youths.
According to Anandjit, the agency is making provisions to incorporate programmes that cater to the “specific needs” of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) youths. The Programmes Director explained that the GRPA is looking to expand those services to directly address the challenges that LGBT youths face.
The reason for this, Anandjit cited, was because as a marginalized section of society, LGBT youths, and adults, face different forms of stigma and discrimination when it comes to accessing services. The GRPA therefore, wants to have the adequate resources that will equip them to deal with these issues.
The agency’s Youth Coordinator went on to acknowledge that sex and sexuality issues come with a lot of challenges “which is evident by issues such as teen pregnancy, which is not only a national issue but a regional issue as well.” This was said against the background that Guyana has the second highest underage pregnancies in the region, affecting 97 of every 1000 girls.
He went on to explain that another challenge of sex and sexuality issues is handling the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) in society. Hinds acknowledged that while HIV affects about one percent of the general public, we see that it has become a concentrated epidemic, meaning that particular groups are more affected.
In framing the issues of sex and sexuality, Hinds remarked that lack of sexual education and poor health has national consequences which hinder the overall development of Guyana.
The GRPA Executive Director stated that “we are sexual beings and as such it is our right to learn and express “’our sense of self”’ to the best of our capability”. She reaffirmed the GRPA’s commitment to providing and improving its services in the field of sexual/reproductive health and education, as that is the way forward to fixing problems like teenage pregnancy, sexual violence and even suicide.

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GRPA seeks to redefine how citizens view sexuality

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