Interview Family Planning Association of Moldova, Moldova and Youth Incentives, The Netherlands

Anke van Dam Head of Youth Incentives

Elizabeth Wanja van Hengstum-Njeru Junior Consultant International

- What is the Dutch Approach to young people and sexual health? And why do people talk about the Dutch phenomenon/experience?

The 'Dutch Approach' to young people's sexuality is a term used to refer to the fact that here in the Netherlands young people are accepted as sexual beings. There is an openness towards young people's sexuality and we believe in providing access of young people to sexual health information and services. Due to this approach, The Netherlands has, for years now, relatively low numbers of teenage pregnancies, abortions and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs). This is also what people refer to when they talk about the Dutch phenomenon/experience.

- Here in Moldova we had a bad experience with life based skills object, because parents and church think that sexual education is something intimate and promotes early sexual relations. How is the sexual education made in the Netherlands?

First I would like to say that it is a myth that sex education for young people promotes early sexual relations. Young people will have sexual relations with or without sex education. What sex education does is prepare them to make proper and safe choices by giving them information and availing services such as that on where to get contraceptives, and how to use these properly. This in turn helps them make wise decision and be safe. Here in the Netherlands, sex education is provided through various channels; some is given in schools, there are a lot of campaigns in the mass media, there are magazines especially for young people, and so on. Parents are also usually able to talk to their children about their sexuality, and so are the doctors and other health providers.

- Who usually talks with children and young people about their sexuality in the Netherlands?

Various people play a role in talking to young people about their sexuality: teachers in school, parents, health care providers, the government through mass media campaigns, renowned organisations such as the Rutgers Nisso Groep and Youth Incentives, and so on.

- The Netherlands is considered a very liberal country: the prostitution, drugs and homosexuality are legalized. Some would say it's too much and it can lead to anarchy and promiscuity... What do you think about it?

Firstly I would like to sate that you cannot place prostitution, drugs and homosexuality at the same level. Homosexuality is seen simply as part of sexual diversity - different people have different sexual preferences and have the right to enjoy sex in their own way, be that heterosexual, homosexual or bisexual sex. Everyone has the right to be themselves, the right to equality, and the right to be free from all forms of discrimination.

The issue on the legalization of prostitution and drugs is too a factor about the Netherlands that is often misconstrued. By legalizing prostitution and (some) soft drugs, the government makes sure that it can keep an eye on what is happening in these fields. It is for instance possible to make sure prostitutes have regular medical check ups, avoiding the spread of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), including HIV/AIDS. And by legalizing soft drugs, the government is able to make sure the ingredients used to make these drugs are not lethal for consumers. One other very important thing the government and her institutions do is come up with campaigns to warn people on the dangers of, for instance, using drugs. It is therefore not that the Government is encouraging prostitution and/or drugs but actually works hard to discourage them, while at the same time facing the reality of the fact that these are part and parcel of the Dutch community and should therefore be kept as safe as possible for those who choose to engage in them.

- On the other hand in Holland is registered the smallest number of abortions… How do you explain this situation?

Once again, this has to do with the fact that if you provide people with the right information and access to the necessary sexual reproductive health services they will make the right choices. Nobody wants all the problems that come with unsafe sex. It is due to lack of the right information and services that people will blindly engage in sexual relations and suffer the negative consequences of that. Denying that young people have sexual relationships is not the answer. You need to accept them as sexual beings and help them make well informed choices and take responsibility for these choices. Young people, like everyone else, do not want all the problems that come with uninformed sexuality. They also will choose to stay healthy and have safe and happy relationships with each other. But to do this they must have the right information, and access to services.

- During the training you have talked about the problem of single women in the Netherlands as a consequence of women emancipation. We would like to ask you to write about the pluses and minuses of women emancipation in your society (as you see it).

The emancipation of women is important for the process of making men and women equal to each other. The Netherlands is globally seen as a country that is not yet far emancipated compared to other European countries. The Netherlands has one of the lowest percentages of women working at high-rank positions. Still a lot of women prefer to stay at home when they get children.

The education level of women in the Netherlands is, though, high. And a lot of women prefer to start working after their education has finished. First work and income, then family and children. Those hard working and well educated young women are very independent. Presently a lot of women of 35-40 years old, have no partner and are longing for a family. Apart from their biological clock (age of fertility) they feel a need for settling down and getting loose from the stress of work and career. Unfortunately a lot of men are not interested in starting families with them, because of age, independence and the women's brightness.

-In our country there is this opinion about a women's place in the family and the society as a mother and a good wife (and not a political activist, or business lady, etc.). It is thought that changing the traditional roles for man and woman would lead to demolition of the basis of a healthy family and would degrade the values of the society. What do you think about this?

This is something we do not agree with. Women are perfectly capable of being whatever they want to be. It is also their right to have every opportunity to discover their full potential and to contribute to the society in the area they have the best talents. Some will choose to be mothers and housewives but other women will make other choices such as to only have a career, or to combine having a family and a career. The important thing is to give everyone, both men and women, the chance to discover what they want to be, and to realise their potential in it. This is a fundamental right of every human being.

- What is in your opinion a healthy society?

To me, a healthy society is one in which...

People's basic human rights are defended, where their needs are met, where people are free to express what they think and feel without fear of repercussion, where men and women are seen and treated as equals, where young people are given a chance to express themselves and play a role in society, where there is no discrimination, where all people are able to access sufficient education and health care, where people are able to access help from government and other institutions and where everyone has the space and opportunity to realise one's full potential and to grow.