TRNC Proposes Mandatory Sex Education in Schools

Jale Refik Rogers, an independent member of the TRNC Parliament, has proposed making sex education classes mandatory in schools. The initiative was prompted by statistics showing that in 2023, 61 girls and 7 boys in Northern Cyprus became underage parents.

• "Since it is impossible to obtain detailed data from the Statistical Institute or the Department of Social Services—such as how many of these individuals are under 18 or how many are adults who chose to have children willingly—it is difficult to determine whether these births signal a crisis," Rogers said.

The MP highlighted that the first and most essential step is to provide children with age-appropriate education on sexual health, starting from an early age.

• "This is the key to protecting our children from violence and abuse, preventing sexually transmitted diseases, and fostering individuals who are informed and confident about their sexuality," she explained.

Rogers firmly stated that "The only lesson to take away from these statistics is that sexual health education must be made a mandatory subject in schools."