The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in cooperation with the Centre for Secondary Specialized and Professional Education (CSSPE) under the Ministry of Higher and Secondary Specialized Education of the Republic of Uzbekistan, will conduct two 6-day back-to-back trainings for trainers on peer education techniques from 25 June to 7 July.

The overall objective of the training is to prepare the pool of peer education trainers from Andijan, Jizzakh, Khorezm, Namangan and Tashkent regions. 40 college students were nominated by the CSSPE to take part in the training.

The training participants will learn how to educate their peers on such issues as HIV/AIDS prevention, reproductive health, gender and many other topics critical for adolescents and youth. It is expected that 5 trainings will be conducted in each province as a result of the ToT and that will allow to prepare the pool of 100 peer educators in each province, who in their turn will continue educating their peers in formal and informal settings.

"The ultimate goal of this activity is improving access of youth to information on reproductive health, HIV/AIDS and other STIs prevention, gender equality and other important issues, as well as informing them on the services and aid they could benefit from locally when facing various types of problems," commented Mr. Ulugbek Zaribbaev, UNFPA Programme Associate on Reproductive Health.

Peer-to-peer education implies the information sharing between well-trained and motivated young people and their peers (those similar to them in age and background). This approach helps to ensure, either in an organized or an informal way, that those peers have the optimal knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and skills to be responsible for and to protect their health and well-being. Peer education can happen in small groups or through individual contact and can take place in a variety of settings.

The United Nations Population Fund is an international development agency that promotes the right of every woman, man and child to enjoy a life of health and equal opportunity. UNFPA supports countries in using population data for policies and programs to reduce poverty and to ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe, every young person is free of HIV/AIDS, and every girl and woman is treated with dignity and respect.