It is important for us that mental health and protection from violence are recognized as priorities for young people. Let’s build a society where young people can talk openly about the issues that concern them and seek help and support from professional services and teachers in the school environment, where they spend most of their time. This was one of the key conclusions of the panel discussion ‘How Important Are Educational Programs for Well-Being and Mental Health Among Young People?’ held in Tetovo and organized by HERA, with the support of the Embassy of France.
In the introductory remarks, the Ambassador of France to the Republic of North Macedonia, Cyril Baumgartner, emphasized that the regional project ‘Our Bodies Are Not Taboo’ addresses menstrual justice and comprehensive sexuality education—two topics that are very important to the community.
“We support this project because we are convinced that including this educational content can contribute to improving the well-being and mental health of young people. Your country has committed to reducing marriages among minors, helping young girls and adolescents—especially women—be as autonomous as possible and supporting women’s organizations,” Baumgartner said.
Gordana Blazevska Spiridonova from DSU ‘Nikola Karev’ in Skopje presented the HBSC study, which is designed to monitor the health habits and behaviors of young people, providing insight into the quality of their physical, mental, social, and spiritual health. According to her, this study serves as a clear indication of the need to introduce age-appropriate sexual education for young people.
“With these findings, an insight is gained into the conditions regarding gender perception in young people and the relationships that arise from it. This data is useful to be used as a basis in building health protection policies for the young population in the country”, said Blazevska Spiridonova.
“These findings provide an insight into the conditions regarding gender perception in young people and the relationships that arise from it. This data can serve as a foundation for developing health protection policies aimed at the young population in the country,” said Blazevska Spiridonova.
Sheruze Osmani Balazhi, a professor of psychology at the University of Tetovo, states that sexual education is a tool that promotes mental health. This is because sex education is rooted in the principles of human rights and personal satisfaction, meaning it focuses on developing the capacities of young people and empowering them to make informed decisions based on verified information.
“The program itself helps young people develop skills and attitudes, and receive timely information that will assist them in coping with the situations and challenges they face in everyday life,” says Osmani Balazhi.
Ayshe Airulai from the Bureau for Development of Education says that the introduction of comprehensive sexual education in general education of young people aims to provide students with the opportunity to acquire age-appropriate competencies. These competences will enable them to make informed decisions and respect their own and others’ rights in the sphere of sexuality.
“It is firmly based on the concept of human rights, and above all on advocacy for gender equality, protection from violence, protection of dignity and autonomy. The benefits of studying this subject are very significant, because young people are more responsible for their health, are more empathetic towards people, have more confidence and communication skills with their peers, the number of risky sexual behaviors decreases and there are fewer teenage pregnancies and abortions,” Ajrulai said.
“It is firmly grounded in the concept of human rights, particularly in advocating for gender equality, protection from violence, and the safeguarding of dignity and autonomy. The benefits of studying this subject are very significant: young people become more responsible for their health, more empathetic towards others, and gain greater self-confidence and communication skills with their peers. Additionally, the incidence of risky sexual behaviors decreases, resulting in fewer teenage pregnancies and abortions,” Ajrulai said.
Ron Gjinovci from ORCA—Organization for Increasing the Quality of Education in Kosovo—pointed out that young people are facing well-being problems similar to those throughout the entire Western Balkans, including Kosovo. ‘Like everywhere in the region, the mental health of young people is a hot topic,’ says Gjinovci.
Elizabeta Božinoska from HERA stated that the information gathered from field experiences is disturbing and shows that young people between the ages of 15 and 18 are the most exposed to violence compared to other age groups in the country.
“In terms of gender inequality, as many as 52% of our 15-year-old girls and 29% of boys of the same age experience multiple psychosomatic symptoms at the same time several times a week. In 2022, over 700 mothers in our country were girls between the ages of 15 and 19. Consequently, the number of underage births in our country is three times higher than the average in EU countries. We need educational programs that respond to the needs of young people, and this can only be achieved through cooperation and unification. At the forefront of this alliance are teachers, pedagogues, psychologists, social workers, health workers, parents, and the local community,” said Božinoska.
The event is part of the regional project ‘Our Bodies Are Not Taboo,’ implemented in North Macedonia, Albania, Kosovo, and Montenegro with the support of the Ministry of Europe, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of France, and the French embassies in these countries. In North Macedonia, the project is carried out by the associations HERA and Tiiiit! Inc., with the support of the French Embassy.
