Monks, Nuns and Sex

In Buddhist Bhutan scores of young monks and nuns, some as young as five dressed in crimson robes, are getting education on something which they are supposed to abstain from- Sex. Interestingly the main force behind such a daring UN driven move is none other than the Queen Mother of the Himalayan Kingdom– Gyalyum Sangay Choden Wangchuck . She is recognized as an advocate for the prevention of HIV/AIDS both nationally and internationally. This mass education programme is patronised by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and she is its Goodwill Ambassador.

Thousands of monks and nuns of Bhutan are learning how to impart sex education in the Himalayan kingdom. In most monasteries and nunneries there are uneducated monks and nuns who don’t know about sex education or about topics such as masturbation. It is a reality that many of them are indulging in it as a natural urge. The UNFPA is an initiative to spread awareness about sexual and reproductive health in the country. It has been largely successful in transforming previously unyielding attitudes about sex and sexuality.