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18 Oct 2019 |
The 7th Asian Conference on Sexuality Education kicks off in Hong Kong today
The 7th Asian Conference on Sexuality Education 2019 (ACSE 2019) kicked off today at The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK). Co-organized again by The Family Planning Association of Hong Kong (FPAHK) and the Department of Special Education and Counselling of EdUHK, the Conference themed “Challenges of Sexuality Education: Inclusion, Relevance, Comprehensiveness” was attended by more than 200 sexuality educators and youth workers from the Mainland China, Asia and Hong Kong.
Mr. Liu Ah-chuen, Chairman of the Conference’s Organizing Committee and Chairman of Information, Education & Communication Subcommittee of FPAHK, Prof. Tsui Kwok-tung, Associate Dean of Faculty of Education and Human Development of EdUHK and Prof. Hue Ming-tak, Head of Department of Special Education and Counselling of EdUHK officiated the opening ceremony this morning.
In the opening address, Mr. Liu said, “While sexuality education has made significant progress in Asia over the years, societal changes also raise many issues about respecting diversity and inclusiveness which need to be considered. This Conference provides a platform for scholars, teachers, policy makers, sexuality educators, parents, etc. to share expertise, exchange experiences and explore challenges. We hope that the Conference will be an enriching experience to every participant in promoting the development of sexuality education in the Asian region.”
Prof. Hue pointed out that “In 2018, UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) published the latest “International Technical Guidance on Sexuality Education”, setting out the model of comprehensive sexuality education and addressing sociocultural challenges of implementing sexuality education in schools. While espousing the principles of developmental relevance, inclusiveness, focus on the best interests of students, and affirming the sexual developmental needs of disadvantaged groups in designing sexuality education, it also emphasizes the importance of partnership among stakeholders to advance the development of sexuality education in diverse cultural contexts.”
Keynote speaker Dr. Sam Winter, Associate Professor and Head of Sexology Team, School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Australia, a globally renowned expert with distinguished accomplishment in public health, spoke on “Sexuality Education in a World of Diversity” today. The other keynote speaker, Ms. Li Hong-yan, National Program Officer of UNESCO Beijing Cluster Office, who manages HIV/AIDS and school health programmes in China and promotes the International Technical Guideline on Sexuality Education and the development of comprehensive sexuality education, will expound on “Comprehensive Sexuality Education Framework: Applicability for Sexuality Educators” tomorrow.
The two-day Conference also includes three plenaries, a round-table discussion and various parallel group sessions/workshops and oral presentations, exploring the following topics under the main theme:
Plenary 1: “Sexuality Education: Social Changes and Responsive Strategies” – Prof. Lin Yen-chin, Director of Graduate School of Human Sexuality, College of Applied Social Sciences of Shu-Te University, Taiwan and Prof. Annie Chan Hau-nung, Associate Professor, Department of Sociology and Social Policy, Lingnan University will discuss the influence of media and Internet on youths today and the sexuality education strategies to effectively tackle this.
Plenary 2: “Sexual/Gender Diversity Education: Challenges and Opportunities” –Ms. Frankie Law, Center-in-charge, Gay and Lesbian Campus Association of China from Guangzhou, Mr. Peng Chih-liu, Deputy Secretary-General, Taiwan Tongzhi (LGBT) Hotline Association and Mr. Chau Chun-yam, Project Manager, Project Touch, The Boys' and Girls' Clubs Association of Hong Kong will share their frontline experience in serving homosexual communities and promoting gender education for the public in these localities.
Plenary 3: “Sexuality Education for Students with Disabilities and Special Needs” – Ms. Carmen Yau Ka-man, Chairman of Association of Women with Disabilities Hong Kong and Ms. Choi Yee-mei, Team Leader of Sexuality Zone–Supportive & Counselling Service on Sexual Behavior of Youth, Caritas Youth and Community Service, Hong Kong will talk about the challenges faced by people with disabilities and special needs in terms of sexual growth, and how sexuality education can contribute to their empowerment, enhanced sexual and reproductive health and social integration.
Round Table Discussion: “Sexuality Education: Inclusion and Diversity” – Sharing practical observations and examining how the content of sexuality education can adopt the perspectives of inclusiveness to meet the needs of underprivileged students and youth of sexual minorities.
The 6 Workshops cover:
1. “Promoting Sexuality Education in Secondary Schools through Game-based Learning” – Presenting the experience of using the mobile application game “Making Smart Choices 2” and related research findings.
2. “Embracing Diversities: Sexuality Education for Students Affected by Autism Spectrum Disorder” – Demonstrating how experiential activities and organized programmes can facilitate learning of abstract concepts among students with autism spectrum disorder.
3. “Human Library: T-Teens: Trans Teens Going Beyond the Binary” – Transgender youths sharing how gender conversion brought them affirmation and meaning in life, and that gender expressions are diverse and can go beyond binary gender stereotypes.
4. “0480 Forum Theater: Image-based Sexual Violence” – Exploring image-based sexual violence through drama, followed by audience participation to rewrite the story.
5. “Sexuality and Gender Education of Teenage Girls – Their Needs and Intervention” – Reflecting on the difficulties faced by at-risk girls such as young mothers, sex workers and PTGF, and how to provide them with support and sexuality education.
6. “Exploring Polyamory: Challenges Posed to Gender and Sexuality Educators” – An experiential workshop introducing participants to the practice of polyamory and clarifying common myths and misconceptions.
Various service agencies and organizations have set up exhibition booths at the venue, including AIDS Concern, Equal Opportunities Commission, Mother’s Choice, Sticky Rice Love, Happeriod, Love Unbounded, Hong Kong Sex Education Association, Sexuality For All, Sexuality Zone – Supportive & Counselling Service on Sexual Behavior of Youth of Caritas Youth and Community Service, Project Touch of The Boys' and Girls' Clubs Association of Hong Kong and The Hong Kong Association of Sexuality Educators, Researchers & Therapists, Ltd. The FPA Jockey Club Teen Bean Mobile Classroom appeared in a refreshed new look.
The Asian Conference on Sexuality Education had its debut in Beijing in 2001. Subsequent Conferences were held in Kaohsiung (2004, 2016), Tokyo (2007) and Chengdu (2013). After co-organizing the 4th Conference in Hong Kong in 2010, FPAHK and EdUHK collaborated again to host this year’s Conference.
Please refer to the Conference Webpage at www.famplan.org.hk/acse2019/en for further program details.
