New e-zine aims to normalise sexuality discussions among young people in Aruba

A group of four people sitting and talking together.

Elizabeth Ascroft, a PhD student in the Centre for the Study of Global Development recently collaborated with 12 young people (aged 14-16) in Aruba to create a sex-education e-zine. The zine was developed in partnership with Famia Planea Aruba, a sexual and reproductive health provider.

Small island states such as Aruba often have unique community structures that can impede young people’s ability to fully enjoy their sexual health and rights. In contexts where anonymity is scarce, young people often have limited options to discuss issues related to sex, relationships, and sexuality and may face stigma when they do.

Globally, sex education materials are often developed by adults, neglecting the views of young people. Elizabeth Ascroft said, “We were challenging normative, top-down (and often adult-led) ways of generating sexuality education materials.”

The e-zine was created to encourage open discussions about sex, relationships, and sexuality among young people in Aruba and promote normalisation around these topics.

Elizabeth Ascroft has collaborated with the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) network to use the e-zine as a resource for practitioners to learn creative approaches for engaging young people

Learn more about the e-zine in the video below.