Knowledge-based reproductive health and education project

Perceived wisdom holds that sexual freedom is risk-free, and a license to engage in any activity and behavior. Skyrocketing rates of disease and heartbreak show this approach to be false. In lower income countries, such an approach has catastrophic results, impeding economic development by increasing disease burdens and developing citizens without the necessary moral and character skills needed for social and economic interaction. The knowledge-based reproductive health and education project seeks to offer a new approach, by piloting a program based in sexual responsibility and self-control in St. Lucia. Our project will pilot a knowledge-based reproductive health system in conjunction with a character education sexual health program. This approach will allow us to address the long-term goals and skills necessary for both healthy populations, and healthy, committed relationships. To our knowledge, this combined approach is new. In particular, we will be examining the means to develop and encourage discipline and self-control, promote future-mindedness, and facilitate healthy, long-term relationships between men and women. The implementation model has three stages: 1. Develop character and moral skills in relation to sexuality and life goals 2. Provide a knowledge-based reproductive health model 3. Demonstrate effectiveness of a knowledge-based approach, that is not reliant on technology-based interventions. Outcomes include developing materials for educators and medical professionals, establishing sustainable women's health care policy models, developing a high school sexual health curriculum and publishing results of research in peer-reviewed journals. Our program will provide a basis for establishing new national education and health policy. These government programs will then provide further necessary data, and the means for disseminating successful project outcomes through national populations.