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By Don Hinrichsen -
A new teen magazine called "LOVE" is stirring up the youth in Mongolia, the least populated country in Asia. Like the rest of this vast continent, Mongolia is rapidly urbanizing. One third of the country’s 2.5 million people live in the capital city, Ulaanbataar, built on a high, windy plateau in the middle of the country.
There, spread around the capitol's suburbs, 13 Future Threshold Adolescent Health Centers each attract dozens of young people every day. These centers, housed in drab buildings left by Russia in the 1980's, do not look like much, but they have plenty of room where young people can enjoy the freedom to interact and discuss ideas, and to read copies of LOVE magazine which features topics that are taboo at home, like sex, dating and relationships. LOVE is just one reason why these Centres are so popular.
Two 16 year old girls, Lusmaa and Batjargal, are engaged in an animated discussion with a small group of teenagers about the role of peer education in promoting healthy lifestyles. “We were just discussing the need to do more to raise awareness of our peers in school about the risks of unprotected sex, especially since we are seeing an increase in unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections," says Batjargal.
“I like this Centre because we can discuss subjects with the doctors that we could never raise at home,” continues Lusmaa. “I trust the doctors here and we are assured of absolute confidentiality. This makes a big difference for many adolescents, who are afraid to confide in regular doctors and are too shy to discuss these issues with their parents.”
Several more teenage girls arrive to drink strong tea, chat and read and the latest edition of Love Magazine. One of them, named Dava, has come for counseling. The Centre’s doctor, a former pediatrician who now specializes in adolescent reproductive health, escorts her into a private room. Following the session, Dr. Baatarkhuu explains: “She came for advice on how to prevent pregnancy, as she is sexually active and her boyfriend doesn’t know how to use condoms, so I gave her a packet of them and showed her how to use them.”
The doctor is pleased with the turnout. “We have about 5,000 young people coming here for services on a yearly basis, 70 per cent for counseling,” she says, “but many more youth come just to hang out, discuss issues and read LOVE magazine.”
The Center’s reading room is packed, as adolescents pour over copies of the latest issue of Love. Like magazines in many Western countries, this one mixes articles on culture with information about self-esteem, body image, sexual decision-making, relationships, communications, puberty, gender and sexual health. The magazine, which was developed with support from the UN Population Fund, has a teen board that has assumed an important role in its development. Adolescents contribute to the “Teen Voices” page and the “Dear Hulan” advice column. Over 150,000 copies are printed every quarter and distributed to schools, universities, youth centres, medical facilities, doctors’ offices and government bureaus.
Both Lusmaa and Batjargal are LOVE readers and active advocates for the Centre and its services. “The knowledge and experience we gain here at the Centre has really given us a new perspective on life,” says Lusmaa. “We really want to make a difference in our communities.” So far, most center clients are adolescent girls, but increasingly more boys are coming in for advice and services. The girls like that - LOVE is flowering in Mongolia.
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