Paper short abstract:

Through the process of production as well as dissemination of edutainment dramas, I wanted to create an enabling environment for female and male youth to acquire correct reproductive health information and to enable reflection and discussion on sexuality in a context where silence prevails.

Paper long abstract:

I had already conducted research on gender issues and education in North-Ethiopia's Tigray-region for many years, when I got involved in a research project on competing norms surrounding sexual and reproductive health. My rationale for involving urban and rural, female and male secondary school students (aged 15-22) in the making of arts- and action-research-inspired research-based edutainment dramas on love and sexuality, contraceptive use and abortion was that youth cannot wait for our research to be published. They need to be involved now! I wanted through the process of production as well as dissemination of the edutainment dramas to create an enabling environment for female and male youth to acquire correct reproductive health information and to enable reflection and discussion on sexuality in a context where silence prevails. I also used the dramas to generate data on gender norms and youth sexuality when discussion them, with students, parents, teachers, health workers and religious leaders. Five edutainment dramas and three documentaries, where produced. The youth were also trained in filmmaking and gradually became involved in the production itself.

See the films here (English sub-titles):

Choices & Consequences, part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQFe-3JBYFY

Choices & Consequences, part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=diZtnca515Y

Choices & Consequences, part 3-4: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_SgOPYNfvg

Love Complications: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmvmhW_bLAM

Dialogues about abortion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhXcK-IU_Mg

Participants: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvkkcjFAyKg

Masho's Dialogue: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvjjyaDlX5Y