Young Brazilians participate in conversations about youth, sexuality and behavior

Foto: Davidson Pereira
Youth Dialogues in Sobradinho II

Brasília, 18 November 2013 - Around 160 young people from the cities of Ceilândia and Sobradinho II, in Brazil's Federal District, had the chance to discuss and ask questions about topics such as health, sexuality and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and HIV in the two-day event Youth Dialogues. The initiative is one of the activities of the Youth of Expression Program, aimed at reducing the vulnerability of young people to violence, AIDS and STDs, as well as supporting entrepreneurship.

Approximately 80 people attended each day of activities held this month in the two cities. A national survey about sexual health practices and STD/AIDS among young people aged 18 to 29 years was presented in order to stimulate a starting point for the conversation. After that, the group was divided into three, each with a specific axis: "Sexuality and prevention", "Rights and health challenges" and "Youth culture: new communication practices to promote health". The facilitators, community therapists responsible for mediating the conversation, used some group dynamics techniques to stimulate discussion among participants.

Foto: Tatiana Reis/Coletivo Expressão
Youth Dialogues in Ceilândia

Angra Francisca participated in the conversation about youth culture in Sobradinho II, where participants discussed mainly the power of the media in raising awareness of health issues. "The media has a great influence. The soap operas, for example, only show sex from a positive perspective, but they almost never address prevention", she said.

This was the second edition of the Youth Dialogues. Last year, the topic of discussion was public safety. In addition to this annual event, the Youth of Expression Program also regularly hold another activity called Youth Talk. In this case, the conversation happens in smaller groups, during dance and theater workshops, among others, which are offered by the program.

the Youth of Expression Program is carried out by Caixa Seguros Group, in partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO in Brazil) and the Urban Network for Sociocultural Actions (R.U.A.S.).

Related information

National survey of determinant factors for knowledge, attitudes and practices in HIV/AIDS and Viral Hepatitis among young people aged 18 to 29 years old (in Portuguese)

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