Be a good citizen, practice safe sex: Alliance

12.00.00am GMT Mon 22nd Mar 2004

As part of the Alliance Party's response to the Department of Health's consultation on Sexual Health Promotion, Alliance Councillor Lynn Frazer has said that sex education could become part of the proposed school curriculum on citizenship.

Cllr Frazer stated: "Looking after one's health - including sexual health - is a crucial responsibility for everyone. That is why Alliance has proposed that learning about sexual health is incorporated into learning about what it means to be a good citizen.

"Currently, what a young person learns about sexual health tends to be a matter of chance, school by school. We need to establish some baseline standard."

Councillor Frazer also said that abstinence should be promoted as a viable option, especially for young people.

"Overall, the Sexual Health Promotion Strategy is a good attempt to tackle the problems associated with sexual health. If developed right, it can improve the sexual health for generations of people in Northern Ireland. With generally poor sexual heath here, seen by high levels of teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, now is the time to act."

The full Alliance Party response to the DHSSPS's consultation document can be found at:

http://www.allianceparty.org/showconsultation.asp?id=13