The relevance of CSE
The Impact of CSE
The Know Your Body Know Your Rights (KYBKYR) programme works to empower adolescents and youth by delivering stigma-free and rights-affirming information on issues of health, sexuality and human rights, and enables them to advocate for their well-being at the personal, community, state and national levels. A key component of the programme is the delivery of a Comprehensive Sexuality Education curriculum for adolescents and youth led by a team of young programme staff and fellows. The programme is implemented with adolescents and young people across locations in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Delhi, NCR.
In 2018, the KYBKYR programme launched a specific curriculum for young adolescents between the ages of 9-13 years. This has been successfully implemented with more than 350 young people from across schools and community settings in Delhi from. Acknowledging the demand for CSE, we are making this curriculum and toolkit available for others who wish to implement or adapt this intervention and approach. This curriculum brings together the cumulative experience and work of young people who have co-journeyed with us as participants and leaders to translate the vision of youth led access to information and rights on ground. It also stands on the shoulders of partner organisations and activists who did pioneering work on sexuality and gender issues as well as youth leadership and rights that we have learnt and drawn from heavily. We also acknowledge the support of our donors and partners (link to donors and partners page) who have made this work possible.
We are grateful to the TARSHI team for their review and providing critical inputs for reflection and improvement in the curriculum as we share it with the world.
The toolkit consists of the CSE curriculum for adolescents between the age group of 9-13 years; videos resources; podcasts on experiences of adolescents as well as facilitators; illustrated tools to be used during sessions; jamboards that can be used for virtual implementation.
9-13 Hindi Curriculum Coming Soon
KYBKYR’s CSE curriculum for adolescents between the age group 9-13 years has a trans*-feminist, pleasure-affirming and right-based perspective. The curriculum has 10 sessions of 1-1.5 hour each, with an additional session acting as a buffer for the implementation of the monitoring and evaluation tools and revision based activities. The session acts as preliminary introductions for the participants to the concepts of change, puberty, adolescence, bodies, sex, sexuality, gender, emotions, violence, and diversity. The curriculum has been adapted to be implemented virtually through online sessions (post the outbreak of COVID-19), therefore, the current curriculum exists in two versions with the same content but different pedagogies.
The preface in the beginning acts as a guide on navigating the curriculum and various components of it. It has links to all the sample documents one can use to design training sessions or meetings with external stakeholders such as teachers or guardians before implementation. There are also sample formats provided for consent forms that one should get signed before beginning the sessions with adolescents. The sessions also have links to M&E tools that TYPF used to map the impact of the curriculum intervention on the adolescents. Facilitators should go through the preface thoroughly as a preparation for the sessions.
Each session that mentions a video resource that should be used to facilitate a particular discussion, also contains hyperlinks to the same. We recommend that you download these resources prior to session to smoothen the session implementation.
There are also additional video resources that were created by the KYBKYR fellows batch of 2019-2020 to make the virtual dissemination of information easy and more accessible. These videos are not listed as a resource in the curriculum however, can be used as supplementary resources for various sessions. The issues that are covered in the videos are: consent; love and attraction; beauty standards; gender identities; emotions; and bodies with intersex variations.
The toolkit consists of 2 podcasts: the first podcast has a panel of younger adolescents who have been a part of KYBKYR’s cohorts in Delhi implementation cycles from 2019 – 2020. The podcast documents their experiences of engaging in CSE sessions, maps the impact of the programme on their knowledge, perspective and attitude shifts with regards to SRHR, and serves as a tool through which CSE advocacy for younger adolescents can be supported. The podcast is in Hindi but the English transcription for the same can be found on the same page.
The second podcast is conversation between the persons who developed this curriculum and provides a rationale about why there was a need to build a separate CSE curriculum. During the podcasts, the participants also talk about strategies one can adopt while engaging with stakeholders such as teachers or guardians of the adolescents. This podcast can be helpful in understanding backlash mitigation tips as well as the impact on accessibility of information post the outbreak of COVID-19.
Show Transcript
Adolescents talk about changed perspectives
(Translated and Transcribed)
| Timestamp | Transcript |
|---|---|
| 00:09 Arzoo: | (Opening introduction) Greetings! This programme has been organised by the Know Your Body Know Your Rights vertical of The YP Foundation. My name is Arzoo Garg and I work in the Know Your Body Know Your Rights (KYBKYR) programme. This programme works with the youth and adolescents of the country to make them better informed about their changing bodies and subsequently the issues surrounding sexuality and health. Till 2017, this programme worked with 14-25 year olds but in 2018, the programme team decided to extend this to 9-13 year olds. This curriculum sheds light on all the aspects of comprehensive sexuality education with the aim that if adolescents are aware of the forthcoming changes in their bodies, they would be better equipped to understand and even tackle them. This curriculum has been implemented in collaboration with a government school in Mayapuri called RPVV School as well as the Dribble Academy in Noida, through which we were able to work with over 350 adolescents in 2019-2020. With us today are some participants of the programme from RPVV School and Dribble Academy, who have agreed to talk to us about their experience with the CSE programme. Firstly, we would like to hear a little about you starting with a quick introduction in which you tell us your name, age, area of residence, and your hobbies! |
| 1:32
Dhruv |
My name is Dhruv, I am 13 years old and I pride myself with having great listening skills. I believe that if I listen to something, I can immediately learn it. Also, I live near Tilak Nagar. |
| 1:43
Kasturi |
My name is Kasturi, I am 13 years old and I live in Mayapuri. My hobbies include teaching and that is because I believe that if I know something, others should also have access to that knowledge. I like to explain concepts to other people so well, that they can eventually understand it better than even I do! |
| 2:01
Kajal |
My name is Kajal, I am 12 years old and I live in Noida sector 93. I love reading books and playing basketball in my free time. |
| 2:14
Arzoo |
Thank you so much for sharing your hobbies with us. I would also like to share my hobbies with you! I love watching movies and sometimes in my spare time, I also write movie reviews. I would now like to ask you about how you got affiliated with the KYBKYR CSE programme and can you share your thoughts about the experience altogether? |
| 2:36
Dhruv |
We were not aware about TYPF or about the programme at all. But some members of KYBKYR came to our school and they explained everything to us. Initially, when they explained what CSE is to us, we found it boring but eventually, we began enjoying the process and became eager to learn more. We realised how important CSE is because the changes in our bodies can be very daunting if one is unaware of them. Many people become very fearful about these changes and this programme helps combat that. |
| 3:11
Kasturi |
Before the KYBKYR team came to school, we were unaware about the existence of such a programme. We were a little exposed to this information, as we had read very limited content in books, but of course nothing was clear to us. We were very confused about the KYBKYR team coming to school, but our teachers later explained to us that they were here to inform and educate us about puberty and our changing bodies. I honestly never found this boring, because I always deemed knowledge about these issues extremely important. These are integral issues and therefore require open conversations. I had a great experience and it was a great feeling to attend the programme primarily because I attained a lot of clarity through it. |
| 4:10
Arzoo |
Kasturi, the people who came to your school, would you like to say anything about them or tell us something specifically about them? |
| 4:13
Kasturi |
They were from TYPF….like teachers but not really. In fact I would call them friends if I have to put it accurately. They were all didis and told us not to address them as teachers or superiors but instead share a friendly bond with them. They told us that we can share anything – doubts, questions, or feelings with them and that would stay between us. |
| 4:36
Arzoo |
Okay, thank you Kasturi! |
| 4:40
Kajal |
Our coach told us that some people from TYPF want to conduct sessions with us about our bodies and the changes that we might go through. In fact there might be changes that are very daunting – they might even scare us, so this team would help deconstruct those for us. Our parents were asked for their consent before the programme to confirm whether they would be comfortable with their children attending the programme.
|
| 5:03
Arzoo |
And how were the classes conducted? |
| 5:10
Kajal |
The classes couldn’t be conducted face-to-face so they were held online. Even online, a lot of people used to participate! |
| 5:16
Arzoo |
Was it ever a problem that everything was online? |
| 5:18
Kajal |
Sometimes schedules clashing was an issue. Other times even network problems used to occur. |
| 5:26
Arzoo |
My next question is that amongst all the topics we covered and discussions we had, which was the most interesting? |
| 5:40
Dhruv |
The most interesting session was the one that dealt with all the bodily changes that we undergo during puberty. Discussing this was extremely important because we were previously unaware about the significance of these changes. I was very confused about my changing body and even tried to discuss it with my parents. They in turn grew very worried about these changes and recommended that we go to a doctor as they saw it as a medical issue. A few days before going to the doctor, I attended the programme by TYPF and they told me about these changes in great detail. We also participated in several activities which were very interesting. We were told that no one is abnormal. We are all equal.
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| 6:20
Arzoo |
Kasturi, would you like to add something? |
| 6:21
Kasturi |
The members of TYPF came and made us comfortable and told us that we can share anything with them. While I didn’t share my issues with them in class, eventually, I went up to them and discussed my doubts with them alone. They assured me that there is nothing to be scared of and such changes happen to everyone. Some hit puberty later, while some undergo it sooner, there’s nothing to worry about. My awareness about this has better equipped me to better explain all this to my younger sister, or those around me who don’t know about this. I don’t want others to go through the same phase of uncertainty that I went through. I also was very happy to learn about the gender spectrum, something that often gets left out of the narrative. I realised that society is diverse and we all serve a unique purpose. |
| 7:06
Kajal |
The session that you conducted really stood out to me. Firstly, the discussion on emotions using emojis was very interesting. It educated me about the different emotions that people go through, ranging from happiness to sadness. It’s not intrinsically bad to feel negative emotions, they are all part of life. Secondly, talking about discrimination as Kasturi just mentioned was very interesting and eye-opening as well. |
| 7:36
Arzoo |
I would like to tell our listeners that the workshop was divided into 10 sessions, each discussing a unique aspect ranging from gender, puberty, bodily changes, love attraction, emotions, the gender spectrum, varying families types, and violence. Locating and identifying violence was also a topic which was dealt with.
I would like to ask you that after the programme ended, in this one year have you tried to use the knowledge you gained to educate those around you? If yes, can you please share some examples? |
| 8:46
Dhruv |
I began sharing this information with my parents. School, tuitions, playgrounds, they all served as spaces where we could discuss the content of the programme with our friends. Our friends took this further and spoke to their siblings and families about this. We also have the potential to make this content more widely available through instagram and facebook, which I did. I think through these small moves, information traveled to people who might have needed it. Even during the lockdown, I tried to spread this information, which was somewhere a failure and somewhere it was successful. The failure was mostly due to people who shy away from such topics, which is something we were prepared for in the workshop. Orthdox thinking propagates thinking along sexist lines, which is something I tried to oppose and voice my opinions against. |
| 9:56
Arzoo |
But Dhruv can you tell us how you used social media to spread this information? |
| 10:03
Dhruv |
Through images and graphics which we can edit. Also we can also make videos now to talk about these things so more and more people can familiarise themselves with such content. |
| 10:22
Arzoo |
Kasturi, would you like to share something? |
| 10:24
Kasturi |
I decided to first share the information with my mother and then my father. My father went ahead and told his friends. I tried to create a video to share so I can better inform more people. So I used notes and handmade pictures to explain concepts to my friends by visiting their homes. Those whose homes I couldn’t visit, I sent them the video I had prepared. Some people objected and questioned me about why I’m sending them such content. I explained to them that my motive was to make them aware of the changes that they might undergo during puberty, so they are not afraid of them. We also visited a village and many people there hold very orthodox beliefs. This is why I believed that that was the space that needed such information the most. In my two month break period, I worked very hard to disseminate this information. By visiting homes, gathering people in common areas like parks and the like, I used to explain these concepts. Many people also came out and shared their problems with me like their parents not allowing them to leave their homes. So I also made an effort to talk to their parents about feminist thinking and values of equality. I encouraged the parents to help reshape societal norms so that boys and girls are treated equally. In the village, the young boys used to believe that girls are inferior to them, so I spoke to them about the issues with the way they think. I also included my grandparents in this conversation. |
| 12:30
Arzoo |
So you went forward and discussed these issues with your family and relatives. When you attempted to talk about this with people your age, what was their reaction? |
| 12:37
Kasturi |
There were diverse reactions. Some people were very shy and unwilling to share but then I built trust with them by ensuring them that our conversations are completely confidential. |
| 12:51
Arzoo |
Dhruv I would also like to ask you, that when you began sharing content on Instagram and Facebook, what sort of reactions did you get? |
| 13:00
Dhruv |
Mostly people mocked me, especially my friends. |
| 13:07
Arzoo |
Kajal, since you were involved with us virtually, were the people around you interested in listening to the sessions as well? Or rather, were they curious to know more about the topics we discussed? |
| 13:39
Kajal |
I also first and foremost discussed all the information with my parents. My friend tried to sit in for a session with me, but I told her that since her parents had not consented to her sitting in on the sessions, she cannot attend it. So when the session ended, she asked me about all the things we discussed. Since she was younger than me, I informed her about the bodily changes that we go through during puberty. She became very shy and said, “Is that the sort of thing your teachers talk to you about? I expected this to be related to studies.” Then I responded by saying that these bodily changes are normal and everyone may go through them at some point. Most of my peers who attended the sessions had also spoken to their parents about the variety of topics covered. Some parents discouraged their children from talking about such topics, but they also eventually came around to it. They realised the importance of awareness about our bodies and subsequently, the rights associated with them. |
| 14:43
Arzoo |
Very often parents or teachers restrict adolescents from gaining knowledge about these topics and claim that only once grown up, that we should talk about these things. What would you recommend for them? Rather, how would you like them to help you with such topics? |
| 15:02
Kajal |
I believe that we should reach out to our parents first, because they are the most receptive to what we say. Mostly people shun such conversations away by saying that we will automatically understand these changes when we grow up, but I believe that knowledge before we undergo these changes would be very beneficial. This promotes awareness and also combats an attitude of fear regarding puberty. |
| 15:37
Arzoo |
My next question is that when you shared this information, were you ever made to feel embarrassed – by others or by your own inhibitions? |
| 15:59
Kasturi |
When the sessions were initially conducted, the teachers used to ask us questions about our bodily changes. These questions rarely were answered because we were all very embarrassed and used to think about what our peers will think about them. Then I thought that since someone has to answer anyway, I might as well do it first. When I started answering, others also got encouraged to talk. After each session, many kids used to come up to me and ask me how I manage to talk about such personal things in class. My friend and I were both taunted a lot during lunch break that we are shameless and we overshare in class. I responded by saying that this is science and this is completely normal. There is no need to feel shame about such stuff considering this happens to everyone. Also, when I started talking about all this in the village, I spoke to many girls too. Several girls held orthodox views about menstruation. They continued to believe that their period makes them impure and therefore they should not work in the kitchen or enter the temple. They were unaccepting of newer thought processes and said since their parents did not agree with this view, they would not accept it. |
| 17:28
Arzoo |
Kajal would you like to add something to this? |
| 17:31
Kajal |
When the classes began online, several kids were unwilling to attend and thought this is very weird. Many kids used to leave class early saying they don’t want to attend such a class because they felt very shy. After class they also used to say that they will not be attending these classes at all anymore. Eventually, this got normalised and everyone came around to these ideas and realised their importance. Even I used to be very apprehensive about sharing this information with my friends but slowly I became habituated and found it very normal. |
| 18:26
Arzoo |
Next, I would like to ask if this programme has affected/impacted your life anyhow? |
| 18:36
Dhruv |
I think attending this programme has had a massive impact on my personal life. Not only are we more aware and fearless about such topics, we are also more open minded. We will not discriminate against anyone now that we know better. Also if anyone tries to discriminate against us, we are very well equipped to explain to them the issues with such thinking. |
| 18:56
Arzoo |
Kajal, would you like to add anything? |
| 18:58
Kajal |
I also believe that my life has been impacted by this. While I was very scared during puberty and the subsequent bodily changes because I was unaware, I know that those who went through these changes after learning through us or you, did not have to go through that fear. After the programme we equipped our friends with knowledge about puberty before they went through it at all. I believe such conversations are very important because we want everyone to know that these changes are not only normal but essential. |
| 19:32
Arzoo |
My final question is that, how will you use the contents of this programme further in your life? |
| 19:42
Dhruv |
I think since we are undergoing puberty, we can benefit a lot from the contents of this programme. I think that by the time we are normally taught about our bodies in school, it’s too late. Either such chapters should be taught earlier or we should be generally educated more in advance. |
| 20:05
Kasturi/Kajal |
I also would like to reach out to my friends and inform them about various emotions and encourage them to open up about their feelings. Some people bottle up a lot and even become depressed and refuse to share anything with those around them. They are unaware of why they feel this way. I strongly believe that we should share our problems and issues with anyone around us, be it parents, teachers, or our friends. |
| 20:37
Arzoo |
Do you have anything to add? The floor is yours now! |
| 20:52
Kajal/Kasturi |
When this programme was happening, we were taught about diversity and I have since come up with many analogies to better understand that. Just like the rainbow, with all its diverse colours comes together to form a beautiful image, similarly society is laden with diversity which gives it a unique character.
There was an activity which was conducted with different coloured strings including a white one. She explained to us that all the threads are important in retaining the beauty of the entire piece. We need each and every part. This applies to society as well, where if we banish someone, we are left incomplete. An earthen pot is filled drop by drop, similarly we need everyone in society – short or tall, dark or fair. Everyone holds a place of importance. |
| 21:49
Kajal/Kasturi |
We shouldn’t discriminate between men or women. Women are not restricted to household work. But now many people have changed their way of thinking. There are women out there who balance housework and also run their own successful businesses. But there are still people in villages or even city-dwellers who continue to harbour such orthodox views. We need to reach out to such people and change their views. This will not only make our future bright, but even for the generations after us. |
| 22:20
Arzoo |
Dhruv, Kasturi and Kajal, thank you so much for talking to us. We would like to wish you all the best for your future and hope that we will keep interacting with you. Thank you to our listeners for being here for the podcast. We hope that you have now gotten a better idea about the programme implemented through the KYBKYR team. |
This section consists of tools that have been developed to visually support some of the activities or information on anatomy in the curriculum. It is advised to print these images as per requirement. Following are the tools available on the website:
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The flipbook is a tool that TYPF developed for another CSE curriculum catering to adolescents of 14 years of age and above. Therefore, for this curriculum, only use the pages mentioned to disseminate information on body anatomy. The content of the flipbook is currently in Hindi, however, translation of the same has been provided in the preface of the curriculum
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These are three cards that show three phases of growing up and the changes that process brings in and around us. To be used in session 1
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These cards illustrate the different kinds of menstrual products that are available. This is to visually support some of the new products that adolescents might be hearing about for the first time. To be used in session 2
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To be used to facilitate discussions around emotional changes in session 5, activity 2
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These are to visually support activity 3 of session 8
Google Jamboard is an online interactive whiteboard system that is available for free on google accounts. Here is a tutorial on how one can navigate the tool. TYPF made different jamboards for each session and used them to facilitate discussion by noting down all the points on a shared screen. This made virtual sessions interactive and kept the participants engaged. They appreciated seeing their points up on the board as well as the visual support to understand information better. The jamboards provided are in Hindi and serve as only a sample on how one can create jamboards for their own sessions. We encourage everyone to make context relevant jamboards that will keep your participants engaged throughout the session. However, if you would like to use the ones provided on the website, please follow the jamboard links and create a copy in your google account.
