Sexual education through cartoon books protects children

KUALA LUMPUR - Teaching children about sexual education is still considered taboo by some segments of society, especially when the topic is often associated with aspects deemed inappropriate for their age.

However, Pocket of Pink (POP), an organisation led by a group of nine young people, is working to shift this perception through a 20-page cartoon-based module titled Express to Empower: Bodies, Boundaries and Identity.

Ain Husniza Saiful Nizam, 20, the graphic designer and project leader said through cheerful colours and easy-to-understand illustrations, the book aims to provide children with a basic understanding of personal safety, their rights, and the dangers of sexual abuse.

As a student of International Politics at the University of Nottingham, Ain Husniza believes sexual education is essential-not to encourage sexual activity, but to foster knowledge of self-autonomy and protection against exploitation.

"Many children actually don’t know what sexual harassment is or what constitutes sexual misconduct. This is a frightening reality. They are unaware of the dangers around them and don’t know how to speak up if they find themselves in uncomfortable situations," she said.

"Children need to clearly understand their own body so they can recognise if something inappropriate happens,” she said, adding that she is also working to publish a Malay-language edition of the book.

She added that one of the main concepts in the module is the "Good Crowd," which educates children on how to build healthy relationships and ensures comprehensive education.

Commenting on the use of cartoons in the module, Ain Husniza said this approach is deemed most suitable for their target age group, as cartoons are also a powerful medium for conveying difficult messages.

The module uses simple language and includes activities like crossword puzzles to make learning both engaging and enjoyable, she added.

The young woman also believes that using proper terminology to refer to genitalia is essential, rather than euphemisms like "flower" or "ultraman" when discussing male and female reproductive organs.

The English-language module was developed starting in September and was introduced to the public for the first time at the Gen Z Cartoon Festival recently.

According to Ain Husniza, the cartoon book has garnered public attention, especially from parents who visited their booth.

"We are in the process of publishing a Malay-language version," she said.

She added that POP also plans to introduce more books in the same series, focusing on aspects such as safe touch, safety at school, and bullying.

"We also plan to hold a tour programme so that more children and parents can access this book.

"Threats like pedophilia and child exploitation are becoming increasingly real. Sexual education should be seen as the first line of defence for our children. The younger they learn, the better prepared they will be to protect themselves,” she said, hoping that the relevant ministries will support their efforts.

"For now, this book is sold at RM25 per copy, but we hope that with support from various parties, this module can eventually be distributed for free,” she said. - BERNAMA