Thousands of Nghe An students participate in a propaganda program on gender and reproductive health.

Attending the program were comrades: Le Van Luong - Member of the Central Executive Committee of the Youth Union, Secretary of the Provincial Youth Union, Chairman of the Provincial Student Association; Nguyen Toan Thang - Editor-in-Chief of Thanh Nien Magazine, Head of the program's organizing committee; Nguyen Thi Kim Oanh, representative of DKT International in Vietnam; representative of the Department of Population - Family Planning and the Board of Directors of Vinh Medical University. Photo: Thanh Quynh

"SV-OK Journey" is a series of activities in many provinces and cities of Vietnam to promote knowledge about adolescent reproductive health among young people and students, and provide measures for safe sex.

Head of the Program Organizing Committee, Comrade Nguyen Toan Thang - Editor-in-Chief of Thanh Nien Magazine said: "Following the programs after the newspaper to propagate and educate awareness for union members, youth in general and students in particular about reproductive health to many provinces and cities across the country, the Reproductive Health Communication Program for Students with the theme "Student - OK Journey" with many rich activities has attracted thousands of students to participate.

Nghe An Provincial Youth Union Secretary Le Van Luong and Head of the Organizing Committee of the program "Student - OK Journey" presented flowers to the representative of DKT International in Vietnam. Photo: Thanh Quynh

According to the Vietnam Family Planning Association, on average each year there are nearly 300,000 abortions nationwide, mainly in the 15-19 age group, of which 60-70% are students.

Therefore, propaganda, education, raising awareness, perception and responsibility of young people about reproductive health and HIV/AIDS prevention need to have a specific action plan to increase awareness about safe sex and proper contraception, avoiding unwanted pregnancies.

Representatives of the Department of Population and Family Planning of Nghe An province participated in the propaganda and answered many questions of students participating in the program. Photo: Thanh Quynh

In Nghe An, the reproductive health communication program for students with the theme "SV - OK Journey" had many exciting and useful activities such as: Giving 500 shirts to students participating in the program; Reproductive health experts came up to discuss and advise students on safe sex and modern contraceptive methods; Clubs, teams, and groups competed to propagate reproductive health in the form of dramatization with the students' own ideas (4 teams from 2 schools including: Vinh Medical University, Vinh University).

Along with that, there was an activity of distributing free condoms and birth control pills to students and people in the area where the event took place.

A media performance on reproductive health in the form of dramatization by students of Vinh Medical University at the program. Photo: Thanh Quynh

Recently, DKT International in Vietnam (a non-governmental organization operating in the field of family planning and HIV/AIDS prevention) has sponsored many programs to accompany students in provinces and cities such as: Thua Thien Hue, Hai Phong, Quang Binh, Ben Tre, Son La...

Thereby contributing to improving knowledge about reproductive health, providing solutions to prevent pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and improving the quality of life of union members, youth, and students.