Northern Ireland launches its Sexual Health Promotion Strategy and Action Plan 2008-2013

This exciting and challenging new document was released on 1 December 2008, coinciding with World Aids Day. The strategy aims to improve, protect and promote the sexual health and wellbeing of the whole population in Northern Ireland.

Objectives

Enable all people to develop and maintain the knowledge, skills and values necessary for improving sexual health and wellbeing.
Promote opportunities to enable young people to make informed choices before engaging in sexual activity and, especially, empowering them to delay first intercourse until an appropriate time of their choosing.
Reduce the number of unplanned births to teenage mothers by seeing that all people have access to sexual health services.
Reduce the incidence of sexually transmitted infections, including HIV.

The strategy has identified several target groups:

young people under 25, especially those who are looked after or leaving care
gay and bisexual men
commercial sex workers.

Particular attention should be applied to those with a disability, those from an ethnic minority community and persons diagnosed as HIV positive outside of the UK as these may have special requirements in accessing information, advice and services.

Approach to sexual health promotion

a co-ordinated partnership approach involving statutory and voluntary organisations and communities
education and information programmes that promote openness about sexual issues (including sexual orientation and informed choices) and that tackle discrimination associated with HIV, STIs and sexual orientation
services that are accessible and responsive to need
actions that tackle the determinants of sexual health based on an evidence-based approach and link in with other healthy lifestyle strategies.

Targets by 2013:

92 percent of 11-16 year olds should not have experienced sexual intercourse
a reduction of 25 per cent in the rate of births to teenage mothers under 17
a reduction of 25 per cent in the number of new episodes of gonorrhoea.

Future working

The strategy calls for the establishment of a Sexual Health Promotion Network to consider and advise on the approach to encouraging better sexual health in Northern Ireland . So far £900,000 has been made available in 2008/2009 to support the Action Plan.