School's decision to reject HPV Vaccine

I was struck by two things in the popular press this week - the coverage given to the school where the HPV vaccine was rejected, and the very sad story of Jade Goody.

What is the argument again for rejecting the HPV vaccine? Is it that old so called moral argument that if we protect our young people from a potentially deadly cancer then we will create a promiscuous society? And is the message that if we don't, then there will be no unprotected sex and we will all live happily ever after? Or is it, if you have unprotected sex then you must face the direst of consequences? I don't like what I'm hearing.

Those unfortunate teenagers will not have the same opportunity to look after their health if the vaccine is only offered off school premises. It is often people who do not access their own doctors who are the most at risk of many diseases, for many different reasons, so their school would have been a great place to offer the vaccine.

Jade has had one of the worst outcomes and love her or hate her the images we are seeing of her are very strong and heart rending. If giving the vaccine can protect others from having this experience then every single vaccine is worth it. People who propose that mass vaccination is a bad idea need to grow up and to broaden their minds so we can really protect the health of our teenagers NOW. It makes more sense in every way to avoid disease, to avoid surgery and to avoid all the heartache that having a totally preventable cancer can bring.

I don't doubt that we need to promote safer sex (or abstaining/delaying first sex, if that is right for a particular school). We do definitely need to teach how cervical cancer is more likely to occur when teenagers start having unprotected sex at a young age, are exposed to HPV early in their lives, and maybe from more than one partner. But abstaining from sex will never be everyone's choice.

So, should our faith schools be allowed to "play God" and make decisions on behalf of the teenage girls who will go on to develop cervical cancer as a result of not being adequately protected?

What resources do we make and what training do we do?

A few people have said to me recently that they would like to know exactly what we do and what resources we make, so to make it quick for you, here's a one minute slide show.

Barbara Hastings-Asatourian and Lisa Brotherton on Granada Edition

This Granada Edition (link to programme) looked at the experiences of 3 young women who had their babies in their late teens, but it also included clips from a sex education session Lisa Brotherton from Glossop Women's Aid and Barbara Hastings-Asatourian from Contraception Education did in the inclusion suite at Glossopdale Community College. It was filmed in July 2008 by Mange2 Media and the sex education component featured Contraception the Board Game. In between these sequences were interviews with government minister Beverley Hughes, Simon Blake CEO of Brook, Barbara Hastings-Asatourian from Contraception Education and a representative from the UK Youth Parliament. The message from UK Youth Parliament was that sex education should be compulsory and comprehensive, allowing young people to make informed choices. The message from young parents was that, with the right support, young people can continue in education and be good parents. Relationships with the baby's grandparents seemed to be very significant, as was the ability to be open and honest with each other in the family and in school sex education. The programme showed the difficulties of being a teenage parent without the all too frequent tabloid demonisation of teenagers or intrusion into privacy.

Women Inventors Symposium in Johannesburg

South African President and Deputy President inaugurate Women Inventors Symposium in Johannesburg

Mr Thabo Mbeki, President of the Republic of South Africa, and Deputy President Ms Phumzile Mlambo Ngcuka both attended last week’s South African Women Inventors and Innovators Symposium. Many of the country’s female ministers and around 1,500 women entrepreneurs, inventors and innovators from Africa, Europe and South-East Asia packed the Gallagher Conference Centre to take part in the launch of the Pan-African Women Inventors and Innovators Network and to honour many of those who have made the greatest contribution to encouraging women to play a full role in the continent’s economic and social development.

The two-day event is a joint initiative between the South African government and the Global Women Inventors and Innovators Network (GWIIN), the organisation behind the well-established British Female Inventor & Innovator of the Year Awards. The theme of the launch event is ‘boosting sustainability through innovation’. According to Mrs Bola Olabisi, Founder and CEO of GWIIN, the event has achieved all its objectives of highlighting the actual and potential contribution of women to social and economic development throughout Africa. “We know from GWIIN’s activities in the UK and Europe that by encouraging and giving recognition to innovative women, they gain the confidence to start up or develop enterprises that can help solve many problems, especially in areas such as healthcare, energy efficiency, education, agriculture and technology.

South African Government Minister Ms Buyelwa Sonjica welcomed delegates to the symposium and explained how much had been done to include women in the country’s government under the presidency of Mr Mbeki. Mrs Olabisi reinforced this message and presented the President with an award in recognition of his commitment to encouraging women to play a greater part in innovating and finding new approaches to economic and social development. In accepting the award, President Mbeki acknowledged that he was in fact accepting an ‘instruction’ to continue his strategy of encouraging women to play a full role in the country’s development.

South Africa’s President Mr Thabo Mbeki receives his award from Mrs Bola Olabisi of GWIIN at the launch of the Pan-African Women Inventors and Innovators Network in Johannesburg on 27 August 2008.

Over 1500 delegates were at the South African Women Inventors and Innovators Symposium and the launch of the Pan-African Women Inventors & Innovators Network on 27-29 August