AWARE
The specific issue we are tackling is the inadequate and often abstinence-based approach to sex education in Mongolia, which is a developing country. This problem has far-reaching consequences, as seen in the country's high rate of teenage pregnancies, with around 5,000 teenage births each year. On top of that, about 14% of pregnant teenage girls opt for abortions, and more than a third of contagious diseases in Mongolia are related to sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). These stats highlight the profound and widespread impact of the lack of comprehensive sex education.
In the current 9th-grade school curriculum, there's just a 5-6 pages dedicated to sex education content. The elements of "Comprehensive Sex Education" are scattered across subjects like health, biology, and social studies, lacking the seamless integration that characterizes comprehensive sex education programs. Our target group, the secondary school students, adds up to around 712,000 students, and about 30% of them live in poverty, missing out on critical sex education.
What is even more concerning is that Mongolia's societal norms contribute to gender disparities, with women often shouldering the responsibility for pregnancy prevention, child-rearing, and parenting. In cases of divorce, many women end up as single parents, as there's a lack of legal provisions and a supportive framework to ensure child support from fathers. This issue is not just limited to teenagers; it affects the entire society. Teachers, parents, and even the government often overlook these pressing matters, perpetuating a cycle of ignorance and neglect. Our initiative is determined to break this cycle and make a positive change.
The AWARE (About Women’s & Adolescents’ Reproductive Empowerment) project is an adolescent sex education initiative that aims to introduce visually appealing and comprehensive content to students. Its primary goals are to reduce stigmas surrounding sex education and address pressing issues such as teenage pregnancies, sexual abuse, and STIs. The initial phase of the project was carried out with the grant and support of the CFLI (Canada Fund for Local Initiatives). This support made it possible for us to launch a website and mobile application (AWARE Mongolia) featuring sex education content based on the Comprehensive Sex Education curriculum, tailored to the geography of Mongolia and the target age group.
To ensure the quality of the mobile application's sex education content, we decided to utilize the “International Guidance on Sexuality Education”, published by the UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund) as our main guideline. The outlined content, known as Comprehensive Sex Education, consists of six categories: Relationships, Values, Rights, Culture, and Sexuality; Understanding Gender; Violence and Staying Safe; The Human Body and Development; and Sexuality and Sexual Behavior. We compiled content from various authorized sources, with a majority coming from the “3-R trainers' kit: Rights, responsibilities and representation for children, youth and families”, published by the ILO (International Labor Organization).
For the mobile application, we decided that the main functionality should be a multiple-choice and true/false quiz format. This format allows users to test their knowledge acquired from the Comprehensive Sex Education content. The application features eye-catching illustrations, a points collection system, and gamification aspects intended to make the learning process more engaging.
In addition, we actively engage with young audiences by providing easily accessible sex education information on topics such as STD prevention, contraception, and unwanted pregnancy through our social media channels (Instagram: @aware_mgl, Facebook: @AWARE Mongolia). Currently, we have approximately 25,000 online followers, and based on our latest data, we estimate that our content has reached at least 1 million accounts.
The current version of the application serves well for smaller student groups, but we acknowledge the need for significant improvements, particularly as we aim to reach a much larger audience in the next phase. Phase 1 has been an invaluable learning experience, helping us understand the areas that require enhancement in Phase 2. In the upcoming phase, our goal is to leverage advanced technology and features that can handle greater traffic, introduce video lessons, incorporate educational games, and provide online consultancy services.
Our solution is primarily dedicated to serving the adolescent population in Mongolia, specifically targeting students in secondary schools spanning from grades 9 to 12. These students represent the focal point of our initiative, as we aim to make a direct and meaningful impact on their lives. Presently, this demographic faces a significant gap in comprehensive sex education, given that Mongolia predominantly adheres to an abstinence-based approach while largely treating the subject as a taboo topic both within the classroom and at home.
The impact of our solution on their lives is multifaceted. Foremost, we strive to dismantle the stigmas surrounding sex education, nurturing an environment that fosters open and informed discussions. By delivering visually appealing and comprehensive content, our initiative equips these students with the indispensable knowledge and skills necessary to navigate relationships, sexuality, and their own bodies. This holistic approach serves to diminish the prevalence of teenage pregnancies, sexual abuse, and sexually transmitted infections.
The underserved aspects of their current situation are quite extensive. For instance, young girls often feel ashamed when experiencing their first period, as parents tend to shy away from such conversations. The lack of information on menstrual hygiene, effective methods of pregnancy prevention, and healthy ways to engage in discussions about love and understanding is apparent. Additionally, the issue of period poverty is a harsh reality in Mongolia, particularly in the "ger" areas, which are akin to slum areas and house approximately 50% of the capital city's population. These areas lack access to central water systems, making it challenging to maintain good hygiene. Many girls in these areas suffer from period poverty and are vulnerable to diseases due to unsanitary wooden toilets. As our project expands, we aim to raise awareness and lead campaigns for menstrual pad donations to support these girls in need.
Moreover, these communities also contend with a high incidence of sexual crimes, with individuals failing to respect each other's boundaries. Both young men and women lack sufficient knowledge about personal safety, contributing to the problem. Studies have shown that in developed countries where Comprehensive Sex Education (CSE) has been adopted, there has been a decrease in sex crime rates. We aspire to witness a similar positive shift in Mongolia. In essence, our target group faces a significant lack of comprehensive sex education, and we firmly believe that we can assist them in leading healthier and happier lives by addressing these pressing needs, fostering open dialogue, and enhancing their knowledge and life skills.
The AWARE project is currently led by a community I am part of: the Global Shapers Ulaanbaatar Hub in Mongolia, an initiative by the World Economic Forum. Our project team, dedicated to AWARE, comprises five active members, myself included. Our backgrounds span various fields, such as finance, media, and nonprofit, but we have united our efforts to initiate and execute projects aimed at contributing to our society, with AWARE being a prominent example. As members of this community, we are continually exposed to the most pressing issues in Mongolia. It's our responsibility to stay well-informed and make educated decisions to benefit society. Some of our other projects include road safety initiatives, mental health programs, and "ger" area development project.
My personal involvement with this project dates back to 2019, when it started as a modest concept. Over time, it has evolved into a pilot stage where we've tested the exact model with a small audience. To ensure the project's effectiveness, I've taken it upon myself to self-educate on sex education curricula from the European Union, Scotland, and the Netherlands, where Comprehensive Sex Education (CSE) is actively taught. I've engaged with government agencies, sex education specialists, and medical professionals to gain a deeper understanding of the field, and I remain committed to continuous learning and improvement.
According to the Global Shapers community's guidelines, I, as the project lead, will be considered an alumnus of the hub after my graduation in September next year. Our hub members have reached a consensus that, upon completion, I will establish my own NGO to ensure the continuity and sustainability of the AWARE project beyond the age limit of the Global Shapers hub.
Throughout Phase 1, our hub members worked collaboratively, and we engaged both companies and volunteers who contributed through payment contracts and pro bono assistance. From my perspective, selecting the right partners is a crucial aspect, particularly in app-development projects like ours, and I have gained valuable insights and experience in this regard. Even when I transition from being a Shaper, I can still count on the support and efforts of our hub's approximately 30 members when additional group efforts are required, such as school visits, running campaigns, or managing social media initiatives. This collaborative and ongoing commitment ensures that we remain closely connected to the communities we serve and that our solutions remain meaningful and effective.
- Prioritize infrastructure centered around young people to enhance young people’s access to SRH information, commodities and services.
- Mongolia
- Pilot: An organization testing a product, service, or business model with a small number of users
Our solution is currently focused on a diverse student population in secondary schools throughout Mongolia, specifically students in grades 9 to 12. While we are still in the pilot stage of our project, we have already established direct contact and engaged with an estimated audience of at least 500 students in these schools. This endeavor involved collaboration with five schools in Ulaanbaatar city, where we introduced our project and orchestrated a quiz game competition using the mobile application. The schools involved in our efforts include TomYo School in Ulaanbaatar, the 10th school in Khan-Uul district, the 107th school in Songinokhairkhan district, the 146th school in Bayangol district, and the 84th school in Bayanzurkh district. Our plans also extend to visiting Sant School and the 1st School in November.
Additionally, our mobile application, AWARE Mongolia, has achieved approximately 10,000 downloads. Furthermore, through our active presence on social media, we have effectively reached at least 1 million accounts, substantially broadening the impact and reach of our initiative.
Looking forward, we have a strategic plan to expand our reach through three main approaches:
1. Physical School Visits: We aim to physically visit schools, deliver presentations, and, if possible, collaborate with school administrators to actively incorporate our mobile application into their curriculum with approval from the Ministry of Education.
2. Mobile Application: We will continue to provide students with a direct learning experience through our mobile application.
3. Social Media Engagement: Through our presence on social media, we will continue delivering visually engaging content such as posts, stories, and reels.
Mongolia has a total of 277 secondary schools, and there are approximately 220,000 individuals between the ages of 15-19 in the country. With the momentum we have gained through all three of these channels, we are confident that our solution can effectively reach a much larger audience in the future, contributing to a meaningful impact on sex education in Mongolia.
Project leader