Date of Award

11-11-2022

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Health Policy and Management

First Advisor

Dr. Narjis Rizvi

Department

Community Health Sciences

Abstract

Background: Adolescent girls face challenges and problems like physical, social, and sexual issues during the pubertal period, changing roles and responsibilities, sexual abuse, early unsuccessful marriages, infectious diseases, preterm birth, an high-risk pregnancies. These challenges originating from the failure to give adequate priority to adolescent needs during the pubertal time. The evidence says that Life Skills Based Education empowers adolescents with the skills, values, and attitudes that will enable them to appreciate their health and well-being, nourish respectful social and sexual relationships, understand their rights, and make informed choices. Owing to organized community resistance and prevalent misconceptions, promoting LSBE has been challenging, especially in conservative settings like Pakistan and especially Quetta, Baluchistan.
Objectives: This study aimed to assess the community’s readiness for imparting Life Skills Based Education to adolescent girls for sexual and reproductive health and rights in Quetta, Baluchistan.
Method: A qualitative research design was used. The study was conducted between November 11th to 18th 2022. The research design of the study is qualitative exploratory. The framework adopted was the Community readiness model. We used the outcomes variables of the CRM for assessment of the community readiness regarding LSBE impartation, because of shortage of time. Semi-structured interview guide had been used to collect data from the participants and probes were designed to get more specific and relevant data. The sampling strategy used was purposive sampling. Thematic analysis was done using inductive and deductive approaches. The transcribed data were coded, and themes were developed. STUDY SETTING: The study was conducted in Quetta, & Islamabad, Pakistan STUDY PARTICIPANTS: The study participants were ‘Community’ and had two main categories, leaders and community members. The leaders were experts from specialized sections including legislation, legal, and the Department of Health & Education. Providers of health and education services to adolescents were also included in the leader’s category. The community members category included parents of adolescents and adolescents themselves. SAMPLE SIZE: Being qualitative research, participants were enrolled until data saturation was reached. However, 16 IDIs and 8 FGDs and the total number of participants were 68 altogether. The study was conducted between November 14 to November 22, 2022. Result: The study's findings show that the community's understanding of SRHR issues was lacking. Due to the conventional and patriarchal system, there was a heavy burden of SRHR challenges as well as misconceptions. Concerning adolescent SRHR concerns, parents, instructors, and students all expressed a need for education. The official departments appeared to be responding favorably, but they claim that the majority of the institutions would be strongly opposed to teaching the LSBE in the community. In Quetta, there were a few LSBE-related initiatives underway, led by NGOs, but overall, there has been little real government action. Sex education has traditionally been taught in Islamic madaris. The SRHR concerns of adolescent females were never accorded top priority at the judicial and senate levels. However, all the stakeholders agreed that the LSBE should be implemented in a manner that is socially and religiously acceptable to the Quetta community. For the challenges relating to adolescent girls' SRHR to be resolved, rapid policy dissemination and LSBE expansion are essential.
Conclusion: The community does not have appropriate information or understanding of adolescents' sexual and reproductive rights. Lack of literacy, cultural norms, patriarchal structures, gender disparities, and low levels of priority at the legislative, organizational, and parliamentary levels are the causes of insufficient SRHR knowledge and comprehension. It was also revealed that the participants wanted to know more about issues relating to SRHR. The study respondents agreed that the neighborhood would vehemently resist impartation of LSBE. The official government and non-government participants identified in this study stated that we would sit together with relevant stakeholders and create curricula that would be in accordance with Islamic teachings and modern scientific evidence. They affirmed that the curriculum would be approved on every socioecological level if it will be developed in accordance with Islamic teachings and current scientific facts. The public-private cooperation will be crucial to the spread and expansion of LSBE in the Quetta community. All stakeholders' collaborative and integrated participation must be emphasized. They ought to at least gather around a single table to discuss and sketch out future course developments, including where, when and how to begin initially in addressing adolescents SRHR issues through LSBE in Quetta community.

First Page

1

Last Page

44

Download

Share

COinS