Victor Oshovskyy recently earned his medical degree. He is now a national trainer in reproductive health and an UNFPA consultant in peer education. Victor is also a husband and a father.

His many hobbies include: helping youth, bringing up his son, playing his guitar and outdoor activities. He strongly believes that “everybody can teach everybody something”, and that everybody deserves love.

According to the UNICEF annual report, Ukraine has the highest HIV prevalence rate among youth in Europe. The index of HIV positive males 15-24 years old is 1.3 per cent and 0.8 per cent for females of the same age. The increase in youth initiatives supported by national and international organizations (including UN) is the result of highly effective adolescent participation in resolving national health problems.

In 1997 UNFPA launched its activities in Ukraine providing support to the Ukrainian National Family Planning Program. Activities to support reproductive health care were preceded with a survey of reproductive health status in Ukraine, carried out in accordance with international standards. Several scientific studies in the field of adolescent reproductive and sexual health, and sexual abuse prevention were accomplished with assistance from UNFPA.

UNFPA' s activities are aimed at assisting the Government in establishing a postgraduate training system for youth reproductive health specialists and in improving the quality of reproductive health services for young people (aged 15-28) and women of reproductive age as well, primarily to reduce STD and abortion rates, increase modern contraceptive usage, and decrease maternal and infant mortality.

To achieve these objectives, professional training of young specialists through workshops and conferences, procurement and distribution of contraceptives and information and education materials are continuously organized. UNFPA supports Ukrainian state youth health centers and youth NGOs to allow training of peer educators to develop educational materials and spread in youth knowledge on safe behavior, HIV infection and STD prevention, as well as drug abuse prevention. UNFPA also supports participation of Ukrainian youth leaders in various international population and development events such as summits, conferences, and training courses. UNFPA provides funding and technical assistance for training workshops for young journalists, radio and disco DJs, and TV show hosts, on coverage of population and development issues in the media to promote issues of reproductive health and family planning. Also, UNFPA organizes workshops for specialists and peer educators on sexual abuse towards women and adolescents prevention, as well as activities on assistance to sexual abuse victims.