A groundbreaking participatory research study in Nepal is reshaping the conversation on adolescent girls’ sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR), offering valuable lessons for the region—including Thailand—as countries strive to empower young people to make informed choices about their bodies. The study, published by the Brookings Institution, underscores how schools can serve as crucial spaces for strengthening girls’ agency and equipping them with the knowledge and confidence needed to advocate for their SRHR in the face of cultural taboos and misinformation (Brookings, 2025).
This research, conducted in Nepal from June to December 2024, involved adolescent girls aged 12 to 15 from public schools. Despite decades of global policy focus on SRHR, millions of girls in low- and middle-income countries—including Thailand—remain vulnerable to early marriage, teen pregnancy, and maternal mortality, often because they lack reliable information and are discouraged from discussing these vital topics. The new study identifies key barriers that hinder girls’ agency and rights: misinformation about menstruation, contraception, and abortion; sociocultural stigma; and the prevalence of teacher-centered, didactic learning methods that do little to encourage meaningful dialogue or critical thinking about SRHR (Brookings, 2025).
Dr. Sudha Ghimire, one of the study’s co-authors, highlights that “schools have a transformative potential, but only when girls are supported with accurate information, robust dialogue, and opportunities to lead change.” Participatory Action Research (PAR) methods—using creative arts like poetry and storytelling—were implemented, allowing girls to express their experiences and challenge entrenched social norms. These activities helped build confidence, contributed to better awareness, and sparked collective advocacy efforts. By the end of the study, many girls had begun campaigning for improved SRHR in their schools and communities, demonstrating that with the right platforms, adolescents can become powerful agents of change.
For Thai readers, the implications are significant. Thailand, like Nepal, is combatting persistent misinformation and taboos around adolescent health, particularly in rural communities and among ethnic minorities (UNFPA Thailand). The Thai government has made notable progress in areas like reducing teenage pregnancy rates, yet early marriage and lack of open conversation about puberty, contraception, and sexual rights still pose challenges. As in Nepal, the dominant “lecture-style” teaching in many Thai schools can impede honest discussion. Initiatives that promote participatory, student-centered learning—such as peer-led SRHR education—are already being piloted in some provinces, with promising results.
Thai cultures—whether Buddhist, Muslim, or indigenous—often emphasize saving face and avoiding public discussion about sexuality. This makes schools a uniquely important safe space for factual, stigma-free SRHR education. “We need to ensure our girls learn not just biology, but also critical thinking and self-advocacy skills,” says Dr. Jiraporn Arunakul, a Thai adolescent medicine specialist at Mahidol University (quoting from her 2023 interview in the Bangkok Post).
Nepal’s experience shows that when girls have safe avenues to share personal stories, voice concerns, and question old beliefs, they are more likely to become leaders and advocates—not just for themselves, but for others. The key, according to the research team, is to involve teachers, families, and community leaders in fostering supportive environments. Recommendations include embedding SRHR in school curricula through interactive methods, training teachers to facilitate sensitive dialogues, and engaging families to reduce stigma.
In Thailand, these lessons could translate into national campaigns to destigmatize SRHR education and expand teacher training. The Ministry of Education’s “Comprehensive Sex Education” program could benefit from further alignment with participatory approaches shown to be effective in Nepal and elsewhere (UNESCO Bangkok). Furthermore, local community involvement—particularly from monks, imams, and elders—would be essential for ensuring culturally sensitive but rights-based approaches.
Historically, Thailand’s approach to SRHR has evolved alongside broader shifts in women’s rights and public health. In the 1980s, large-scale HIV/AIDS awareness campaigns paved the way for more open dialogue on sexual health, while the 2017 Prevention and Solution of the Adolescent Pregnancy Problem Act made comprehensive sex education a legal mandate. Despite these advances, echoes of stigma persist. For example, menstruation is still viewed as a taboo in some rural Thai communities, and conservative voices often resist classroom discussions about contraception and sexual orientation.
The Nepal research suggests a roadmap for reducing such stigma: start young, use participatory learning, and center programs around girls’ voices. In the future, both Nepal and Thailand may benefit from cross-border collaboration on curriculum development, teacher exchanges, and youth-led conferences. Technology and social media could also amplify girls’ voices, spreading accurate SRHR information well beyond city limits.
What can Thai readers do today? Parents can encourage open conversations at home, breaking intergenerational cycles of silence. Teachers can incorporate creative assignments—such as poetry or art projects on puberty and consent—into their health classes. School administrators and policymakers should focus on teacher training and peer-led health clubs. For adolescents, seeking out accurate information from trusted sources, such as the Ministry of Public Health or UNFPA Thailand, is crucial. NGOs and youth organizations can further this agenda by facilitating workshops and digital forums that mirror the participatory activities in Nepal.
The evidence is clear: strengthening adolescent girls’ agency in schools creates ripples that extend into communities and, ultimately, society at large. Thailand stands at a crucial juncture, and the Nepal study offers a practical model for breaking silence, building skills, and putting adolescent rights at the heart of educational reform.
— Sources: Brookings (2025). Strengthening adolescent girls’ agency for sexual and reproductive health rights in and through school education in Nepal. UNFPA Thailand: State of Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health, 2022 UNESCO Bangkok: Health Education