The Nursing Faculty at the University of Jordan, in cooperation with Netherlands-based Rutgers Foundation, organized a workshop and launched a research project entitled “Developing a national action plan for integrating sexual and reproductive health concepts in academic curricula in Jordan under the patronage of the vice president of the University of Jordan for Scientific College Affairs, Dr. Zaid Baqain, and with support from Share-Net International.
The workshop included a discussion session between specialists and academia on how to develop a comprehensive, logical and systematic action plan that would facilitate, mainstream and integrate sexual and reproductive health topics in academic curricula in Jordan at different levels in a professional, research and evidence-based manner.
The project is part of the efforts of the Nursing Faculty to fulfil its social responsibility, namely raising health awareness and promoting good health culture in the Jordanian society, especially with respect to sexual and reproductive health to offer young Jordanian men and women- future parents- with proper information that helps them to follow good health habits based on sound scientific resources to help raise their awareness and build healthy families.
In his opening remarks, Dr. Baqain said that “numerous studies have addressed sexual and reproductive health and the important role it plays in improving general health and limiting the spread of diseases in families and communities. For long decades, research efforts in our countries have been scarce and restricted given the social and cultural sensitivity of the topic, but it is about time that serious questions be raised and critical research topics be addressed with professionalism and commitment while taking into account the cultural, religious and social context in Jordan.”
Moreover, Dean of the Nursing Faculty, Dr. Manar Al Nabulsi, highlighted in her opening remarks the efforts of the faculty in strengthening cooperation and building partnerships with national and international agencies in the field of promoting health education and culture.
HPC secretary general, Dr. Abla Amawi, indicated that HPC pays special attention to youth due to the vital role they play in realizing and investing in the demographic dividend, which is expected to reach its peak in 2040. Amawi added that collaboration of national efforts is needed to enable youth, enhance their capacity and raise their awareness in all matters and provide all possible means to allow them to contribute to the advancement of society in line with the Jordan Vision 2025.
Amawi explained the importance of raising the awareness of youth since no one needs SRH information and services as much as they do. For that reason, SRH concepts need to be integrated into academic curricula and a youth-friendly SRH services system should be developed in line with the local culture context and divine religions and meet the health, social and psychological needs of young people.
Amawi noted that HPC has developed the national standards for youth-friendly sexual and reproductive health services to serve as a roadmap for policy and decision-makers to improve the quality of youth-friendly SRH services and make a comprehensive service package available for young people and protect them against risky behaviors in this area.
During the workshop, academia and experts from various universities, the ministries of Education, Higher Education and Scientific Research, Awqaf Islamic Affairs and Holy Places, and Health, as well as related civil society organizations participated in three discussion sessions that addressed proposals and different perspectives on priorities, programs, activities, enablers and potential challenges faced by the national plan. The sessions were moderated by project director, Dr. Areej Othman and team members Dr. Hamza Al Duraidi and Manal Al Ghzawi.
The outcomes of the workshop will serve as the first building block for the national action plan and achieve the goal of the project. Participants will convene for the next three days at HPC headquarters to finalize the plan and enrich it with the necessary details.
