Indian Ministry of Education and UNESCO launch a comic book to promote health and wellness of adolescents

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The event was graced by senior government officials, policy makers, institutions under the Ministry of Education, UN Agencies, and other partners.

The comic book developed jointly by NCERT and UNESCO New Delhi will serve as a useful resource to promote health and wellness of school going children in an engaging and relatable format. Through captivating narratives and interesting characters, it covers a wide range of topics namely, growing up healthy; emotional well-being and mental health; interpersonal relationships; values and citizenship; gender equality; nutrition, health and sanitation; prevention and management of substance abuse; promotion of healthy lifestyles; reproductive health and HIV prevention; safety and security against violence and injuries; promotion of internet safety and responsible social media behaviour.

The comic book has been designed to be an interactive and educational tool to compliment the implementation of the School Health and Wellness Programme under Ayushman Bharat. To ensure easy accessibility and wider dissemination among learners across the country, the comic book is available in print as well as digital formats in Hindi, English, Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odiya, Tamil and Telegu.

The National Curriculum Framework, 2023 has emphasized that School Education should be a wholesome experience for students, and they should acquire knowledge, capacities, and dispositions that keep their bodies and mind healthy.

The Ministry of Education is committed to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development which highlights that quality education, good health and well-being, gender equality and human rights are intrinsically intertwined. Through collaborative efforts with other institutions, such as the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Women and Child, the Ministry of Education supports programmes to promote health and wellbeing of adolescents through provision of age-appropriate health education; opportunities to develop life skills and health services that are equitable, appropriate and effective.

About UNESCOUNESCO is the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. It seeks to build peace through international cooperation in Education, the Sciences and Culture. UNESCO's programmes contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals defined in Agenda 2030, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2015.

In this spirit, UNESCO develops educational tools to help people live as global citizens free of hate and intolerance. UNESCO works so that each child and citizen has access to quality education. By promoting cultural heritage and the equal dignity of all cultures, UNESCO strengthens bonds among nations. UNESCO fosters scientific programmes and policies as platforms for development and cooperation. UNESCO stands up for freedom of expression, as a fundamental right and a key condition for democracy and development. Serving as a laboratory of ideas, UNESCO helps countries adopt international standards and manages programmes that foster the free flow of ideas and knowledge sharing.

UNESCO Strategy on education for health and well-being

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For more information, please contact:

Sarita Jadav, National Programme Officer([email protected])

Rekha Beri, Communication and Public Engagement([email protected])