Lack of sexual education in Georgia

Georgia has undergone development regarding openness towards new ideas, especially in the past decade. However, as a post-soviet country, many of the matters surrounding sex and sexuality have remained a taboo.

In 1917, Kato Mikeladze, a prominent Georgian activist wrote in her feminist newsletter "Voice of a Georgian Woman" about problems that Georgian women encountered on a daily basis, among them sexual violence and forced marriages. In one of her publications, after listing various incidents of forced marriages and domestic violence across Georgia, Kato asks: “Women, do you hear what happens in our homeland, where every political party agrees to equality?” Her question remains alarmingly relevant in today’s Georgia, where the idea of gender equality is shared by most of the political parties, yet such atrocities as forced marriages, sexual assaults, and domestic violence are still rampant. Advancing the understanding of such issues on a school and national level is as essential as ever and long overdue.

The discussion regarding sexual education has entered the public sphere with various intensities over the past decade.

In 2019, the debate has been reignited by a series of videos posted by Education and Labour Association.

In recent years, some elements of sex education have been incorporated into the national curriculum for Biology. What’s lacking is the execution and the quality of studies of these subjects. Most of the teachers would simply skip these topics just to avoid awkward conversations and mockery from students, which stems from stigmatization of such topics from a very young age. The seriousness of these issues isn’t fully understood by students either.

There had been talks in the past about incorporating sex education in the national curriculum but all the initiatives were faced with a massive backlash and no substantial steps were made in this direction.

All of the education that children receive at school should be aimed at keeping them safe and preparing them for the “real world”. Without sexual education, the stigma surrounding sex, menstruation, pregnancy, contraception, etc. only deepens and doesn’t make the problems like early pregnancy and spread of sexually transmitted diseases (STIs) and HIV/AIDS disappear.

Studies from different countries show that high-quality sex education programs in school can lead to a heightened understanding of personal hygiene, health, and reproductive issues. Young people who receive decent sex education are less likely to form early sexual relationships and are less likely to face unwanted pregnancies.

Great Britain has recently expanded its sex and relationship education to cover more topics. The initiative, especially coming from a conservative government, highlights the importance that good sex education has for young people.

Apart from the obvious aspects that sexual education brings awareness to, is the importance of consent. Teaching young boys and girls about the importance of getting consent from a partner is a big step forward in preventing sexual harassment and sexual violence.

Recently, the Education and Labour Association posted a video series on Facebook covering some of the basics of sexual education like the anatomy of reproductive organs and puberty. The organization has been working for more than 5 years regarding these issues with international experts, experienced psychologists, parents and children.

The storyteller behind the aforementioned videos, Khatia Akhalaia, quickly became a target of violent far-right groups. She has received numerous rape and death threats. Ministry of Internal Affairs has launched an investigation regarding the threats.

According to the Education and Labour Association, the videos were prepared according to the international technical guidance on sexuality education: an evidence-informed approach (UNESCO).

As said by Khatia, their project “…counterbalances the myths and taboos that are prevalent in our society regarding sexual education and women’s sexuality in general”.

“We are planning to create competent, comprehensive literature for school children (aged 12-17) that would be based on the existing experience. It will provide timely and necessary information to the adolescents regarding sexual education topics” said Khatia, regarding the organization’s future plans.

According to her, the material is voluminous and mainly serves the purpose of equipping young people with the necessary knowledge. It helps their socialization and develops them into respectful, healthy members of the society, that are aware of their rights, as well as the consequences of their own decisions and actions.

Creating a healthy culture around sexuality is not an easy task, especially in Georgia, where the shadow of the Soviet past is ubiquitous. At present, the building of that culture almost solely relies on people like Khatia, who, sometimes at the expense of their safety, dedicate themselves to the advancement of the awareness regarding sexuality and sexual welfare. The importance of effective governance in creating a healthy sexual culture can’t be stressed enough since activists like Khatia can only do so much. Without effective policies that ensure that all children get the education they require and deserve to evolve into responsible adults, there is not a big chance of establishing an environment where young people, especially young women, can explore their sexuality without facing unwanted consequences.