Mauritius to launch sex educationBy LINLEY BIGNOUX in Port Louis | Thursday, April 26  2012 at  17:02

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) wants to provide funds to the tune of $360,000 towards sexual education and reproductive health among the vulnerable and poor in Mauritius.

An agreement for the programme was signed Wednesday at the Ministry of Health and Quality of Life offices in the capital Port Louis between Mauritius and the UNFPA.

The UNFPA Country Programme hopes to improve the quality of life of the poor and vulnerable through enhanced gender equality, sexual reproductive health and HIV/Aids services.

According to the Mauritius Prime Minister’s office, poor teenagers will be the main target of the programme.

The funding, it is believed, will strengthen the family planning services in deprived areas, provide “youth-friendly” services and reinforce knowledge of sexual and reproductive health.

Risk behaviour

The country’s Minister of Health and Quality of Life, Mr Lormus Bundhoo, told journalists during the signing ceremony that the establishment of reproductive health services and the hindrance of HIV infections were important to country’s development.

Despite the good indicators in the economy, health, education and social development, Mauritius still faced challenges of pockets of poverty and inequalities in health services. With the advent of information technology and the presence of a highly educated population, there was need to re-engineer our sexual health education, Mr Bundoo said.

A Contraceptive Prevalence Survey would be rolled out next month.

UNFPA Representative to Mauritius Cheikh Tidiane Cissé said: “Mauritius faces challenges, and that the focus should be on targeting risk behaviour among vulnerable groups through interventions that address knowledge, attitudes and practice relating to underlying causes as well as on young people who should participate in and have access to appropriate information on HIV/Aids and life skills programmes."