Awareness Raising

"I used to keep quiet. I was afraid that my mother might get angry, afraid of my family, but now I know my rights, I know that I have the right to give my opinion so I do this with confidence and this has improved the understanding amongst us."

- Excerpt from an interview of a 14-year-old girl, a beneficiary of the Aware for Life (adolescents) awareness raising sessions conducted by Aahung.

Correct and comprehensive knowledge about sexual and reproductive functions and processes, safe behaviour and health promotion is not only essential for living a healthy life but also an undeniable human right.

Towards that end, Aahung organizes and conducts participatory workshops and seminars for both the general public and specific civic groups.  These activities are geared towards educating people about their bodies and promoting positive health-seeking behavior.  By raising consciousness about sexual health and rights and subsequently about sexual reproductive decisions and responsibilities, we attempt to build confidence and self-esteem and to enhance crucial skills such as communication, negotiation and, ultimately, decision-making.

Awareness Raising Activities

Workshops
Seminars
Melas (fairs)
IEC Materials

Workshops

Workshops are based on the principles of problem solving and participatory methodologies.  Activities are based on real life scenarios and participants are encouraged to engage in self-reflection and open discussions in a non-threatening, friendly environment to come up with ‘indigenous’ solutions.  The participant is not a passive learner, nor is the facilitator the possessor of all knowledge.

A high level of participation and self-reflection is a distinct feature of our workshops.  Along with information and knowledge, our workshops place equal emphasis on developing and practicing skills that enable participants to communicate, negotiate and make better decisions.  Our workshops are needs-based, i.e., they are tailored according to the needs and requirements of participants.

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Seminars

The goal of our seminars is to disseminate information and encourage discussion and debate on vital issues and themes in sexual health and rights.  Aahung has held seminars on a range of topics such as Sexually Transmitted Infections, HIV/AIDS and its Prevention, the Rights-Based Approach to Reproductive Health and Life Skills Education.  Seminars are usually conducted in partnership with other organizations and provide an excellent opportunity for people from various professional and personal backgrounds and interests to sit at a common table, discuss and learn from each other and develop valuable networks.
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Melas (fairs)

Aahung regularly organises and participates in Melas (outdoor festivals).  Melas offer an opportunity to provide information and knowledge about sexual health and rights on a broad scale in a fun environment.  Through activities like quizzes, expression boards and polls, Aahung aims to break the silence on issues surrounding sexual health.  If you would like Aahung to participate in a Mela activity or would like more information on the pamphlets and brochures we distribute at Melas please contact us.

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IEC Materials

We are continuously developing Information Education Communication (IEC) materials that provide comprehensive, appropriate and accessible sexual health information to individuals.  These include reports, posters, brochures and pamphlets on a variety of sexual health topics.  Issues covered include puberty, ways to communicate with children, hepatitis, masturbation, homosexuality, sexual intercourse, etc.  Most publications are available in both English and Urdu and due to popular demand, we have also begun issuing some of our publications in Sindhi.

For more information please contact us or visit our publications page.
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Awareness Raising Training (Capacity Building) Advocacy and Research Consultancies