Angelika Wolff
Speeches:
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Sexual Education Measures in the Framework of the Vienna Women’s Health Programme
Angelika Wolff , Project Management, Vienna Women’s Health Programme
In general, there has been a downward trend in teenage pregnancies in Vienna and also in Austria. In 2002 the number of children born to mothers under 20 years of age dropped by 2,000 compared to 1993[1]. All in all, however Austria ranks only fourth-last in a European comparison of birth rates of women under 20 years of age. Austria does not yet have a comparable countrywide programme.
The Vienna Women’s Health Programme deals with health promotion for girls and young women. Experience has shown that health promotion must start as early as possible. Gender-related measures in schools are therefore of vital importance. Sexual education and information for young people helps to prevent unwanted pregnancies, abortions and psychological stress, caused by teenage motherhood. On the one hand, it is important to close the information gap in boys who still know little or nothing about the female body, ovulation days, the female cycle, etc. On the other hand, it is important to promote empowerment in girls and convince them to be self-determining, not let themselves be pushed, insist on contraception, etc.
Initiative – Youth Information Fair
Information events on the issue of adolescent sexuality are a measure provided for students, teachers, pedagogues, youth workers, parents, school physicians, etc. The information fairs, which have taken place so far, reached up to 1,000 young people. The evaluation data has shown that this form of knowledge transfer has proved of value.