What do we mean by sexuality and how well do we understand it? Sexuality as a term has often been misunderstood and misused. This has resulted in confusion and miscommunication. The understanding of sexuality has been restrictive and limited to mean sex.  However the term sexuality is much broader and encompasses the mind body and soul. In fact, sexual health and sexuality are very closely related. Sexual health is the integration of physical, emotional, intellectual and social aspects of sexuality in a way that positively enriches and promotes personality, communication and love. 

In country like ours where talking about anything sexual is considered taboo, sexuality often becomes the silent victim of endless norms and everyone’s own definition of morality. The youth today is the silent sufferer of the cultural and moral barriers and limitations that have been placed upon them. The result being that the younger generation is being disillusioned, disinterested and misguided. Not understanding their selves and not having any avenues of finding a path to their inner strength, the youth finds itself walking a tight rope between knowing and understanding their selves, fulfilling their needs and desires and living up according to the societal norms that have been dished out to them. 

Across the world experience has shown that it is easier to teach skills for preventive behavior before such behaviors are actually practiced. It seems logical to start, therefore, at the school level. Young people can articulate their need vis – a vis human sexuality quite clearly. These are: an honest, open discussion about human sexual behavior, how to communicate with each other, how to deal with peer pressure, and how to take responsible decisions that concern their own lives. Adults need to remember that young people always discuss topics like sex and sexuality among each other. Facts, myths and fantasy often form a mixture and messages from the media can be confusing, incorrect and at times downright crude. Providing complete, correct information within the appropriate social and cultural context can only help in clearing a large part of the confusion that exists and without embarrassment. Young people can also become facilitators of change since they can reach out to the best in each other. 

Talking and discussing about sexuality is imperative to having a healthy and responsible sexual life.  As a young person if you choose to have sex, you need to act in a responsible and mature fashion for your own and your partner’s health. Practicing safer sex means being smart and staying healthy. It means showing love, concern and respect for your partner and yourself. Safer sex means enjoying sex to the fullest, without transmitting, or acquiring, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) Safer Sex does not have to mean eliminating sexual passion and intimacy from your life. 

Action India, with the support of Australian High Commission has started its program on providing sexuality and sexual health education to street and institutionalized children as these groups of children are most vulnerable and susceptible to infections. Also similar programs have been planned for school and college students.

As part of the program a manual is being prepared, written in a lucid, interesting fashion to reach out to the young. 

Many adults find it hard to talk about sexuality with young people, especially our own children. We are embarrassed, shy, not sure of the facts, not sure how we feel about masturbation, teen sex, and gay, lesbian and bisexual people. It is time to reclaim sexuality education as ours: to teach our positive cultural values about sexuality; to deal with the pain of negative experiences so we don’t pass them along to our children, and to prepare our young people to like their bodies, to make good decisions about sexuality, and to live as sexually healthy a life as possible.