The Dutch Family Planning and Sexuality Education Model
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The Face to Face Update regularly reports on Campaign partners and their programs in support of Face to Face Campaign objectives. Earlier this year, the Face to Face Campaign sponsored The Rutgers Foundation's study tour of a nearby Rutgers Foundation clinic during the Cairo +5 Forum at The Hague. Because the Dutch have one of the lowest teenage pregnancy rates in the world, many conference goers were interested to see how they do it. Lauren Comiteau of the BBC followed some of them to the clinic in The Hague and filed this report:

The family planning clinic is in a typical Hague townhouse. In fact, it feels more like a home than a clinic, with soft lights, warm colors, and big windows. There are the usual condoms and safe sex brochures on display. But there is also a glass case full of vibrators - the first sign the Dutch approach to reproductive health is anything but ordinary.

The women visiting today have come from as far away as China, Cameroon and the Czech Republic to hear what's behind the Dutch success story. For every 1,000 Dutch girls under the age of 20, only 8.4 get pregnant. In the US, the figure is about ten times higher. The Dutch also have the highest rate of contraceptive use. How do they do it?

Doortje Braeken works at the International Division as a senior program advisor. She says their success mainly comes from traditional Dutch pragmatism. Thirty years ago, when the government realized young people were having sex earlier, a decision was made not to promote abstinence, but to focus on responsibility. Sex education and free contraception mean young women learn how to take care of themselves before they start having sex.

"In many countries, health and prevention programs talk about drugs, alcohol and sex. In my opinion, that's ridiculous. Drugs and alcohol are not the same as sex. Sex is something pleasurable, something nice. So we want to see it in a positive sense. But we also want at the same time for teens to be responsible."

A concept the Dutch call "controlled liberalization." Research shows that more information about sex does not mean that young people begin to experiment earlier. The Dutch culture encourages children to be responsible from an early age. This means most young people use contraception from the very first time they have sexual relations.

Ms. Braeken believes that "if sex education is fun, young people are more likely to listen. The family planning clinic sponsors annual holiday safe sex campaigns. The message is simple: pack sunscreen, sickness pills, condoms and the clinic's pocket-sized cheat sheet on sexual encounters." Also included in the package are statements in English, French, Italian, and Greek that communicate safe sex messages to be used by young people traveling during the holidays.

Ms. Braeken says that "unlike tulips and cheese, the Dutch model may not be an export product. What others can certainly learn from the Dutch experience, however, is to trust teenagers and take them seriously."

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The Rutgers Foundation -- now the Rutgers Nisso Group --has been the Dutch expert in sexuality for more than 30 years. Services include advice, information, education and communication, training, and medical and psychosexual services in the area of sexual and reproductive health. The services are characterized by a positive view on sexuality and an innovative and practical approach.

The International Division was established in 1995. This division offers a broad range of services, varying from study tours and site visits to training programs and technical assistance. The International Division -- a team of experts in the area of sexual and reproductive health and rights -- works at a grass- roots level worldwide. The team has hands-on experience in carrying out training and education programs for individuals, health care personnel, educators, parents and caretakers, and NGOs.

The needs and concerns of young people are central in the approach and activities of the International Division. Rutgers Nisso believes strongly that young people's active involvement will improve efforts in addressing their sexual and reproductive health and rights. Thus, the International Division -- part of the "Rutgers Consult" organization --emphasizes the participation of young people in its services and activities. For more information, please contact Teun Visser by e-mail at: intdiv@rutgers.nl