On-the-Ground Insights

Comprehensive, Rights-Based, and Affirmative Sexuality Education

With societal norms evolving and external contexts shifting faster than ever, are we prepared to implement education that empowers young people and fosters equality? Our panelists will share on-the-ground insights, innovative approaches, and the challenges they’ve faced in making sexuality education inclusive and impactful across diverse contexts. They will explore how this education can go beyond traditional goals to support children’s holistic growth, nurture self-awareness, build respectful relationships, and enable informed decision-making. Together, we’ll reflect on how affirmative education can prepare youth for a healthier, more compassionate future while addressing the broader question of whether our society is ready to embrace this transformative change.

Saturday, 15th February 2025 | 5:15 PM to 7:30 PM | Pune

Venue for joining in-person: Firodia Hall, First floor, Health Science building, Fergusson College Campus, Pune.

Directions to the venue: Kindly note that the Firodia hall is only accessible from the Fergusson college campus gate on Chatushrungi Road, near Dnyaneshwar Paduka Chowk. Please do not use the gates on BMCC road or the FC road to enter, since it is a long walk from there to the venue. Ample parking is available at the venue.

This is an in-person event and will be held in Pune. It will also be broadcasted on Zoom for those who wish to join online.

Please click here to register, if you wish to join online on Zoom.

More about the speakers

	Sonal Officer, Know Your Body Know Your Rights, The YP Foundation, New Delhi Sonal (She/Her) is a dynamic feminist human rights lawyer-researcher with over five years of experience working at the intersection of Law, Culture, and Sexual and Reproductive Health. She leads the Know Your Body Know Your Rights programme at YP Foundation. Sonal firmly believes that a rights-based, intersectional comprehensive sexuality education from a young age is essential for empowering individuals to demand relevant SRHR resources, services, information, and fostering stigma-free knowledge.
	Kalyani Firodia Founder Director Urja Gurukul School, Ahmadnagar Kalyani (she/her), a political science graduate, is passionate about education. Although She aspired to open her own school someday, she realized it was too soon when she began the journey eight years ago. Her journey has shaped her understanding of the foundational work needed to realize this vision. The phrase “Education changes the society” didn’t resonate with her work during the first five years, as she felt it lacked the transformative impact she envisioned. However, over the past three years, with the support of experienced individuals, she has been working to integrate thoughts and values into education, aiming to nurture individuals toward becoming better human beings.
	Sudakshina Aich Senior Manager Equal Community Foundation, Pune Sudakshina comes with a background of Project Management and Monitoring & Evaluation. Currently she heads the M&E and the Project Raise laterals of Equal Community Foundation (ECF). She strives towards creating a gender equitable society and echos with the mission of ECF. Born and bred in the development sector, Sudakshina envisions a world where children can grow up to be responsible citizens and live in peace and harmony.

About the Girish Sant Memorial Annual Event                    

Girish Sant was a noted Indian energy analyst and policy commentator, who unfortunately passed away in 2012. Throughout his professional career, Girish made immense contributions to the energy sector, primarily to serve the interests of the poor, prevent gross inefficiencies and improve infrastructure sector governance. His work, humility and eagerness to engage with challenging issues earned him respect and friendship from across the spectrum. He also motivated and mentored a large number of young researchers and activists to work in energy policy and governance issues. He co-founded the Pune-based non-governmental organisation, Prayas, working in the areas of energy and health.

An annual event in memory of Girish Sant has been organised since 2013, where committed professionals provide a public interest perspective on critical issues in the development space. More details available here: https://prayaspune.org/girish-sant/memorial. This is the 13^th event in the series.