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{{Short description|Company in Netherlands}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Love Matters
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| founded = 2011
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| hq_location_country = [[Netherlands]]
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| services = [[sex education]]
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| parent = [[Radio Netherlands Worldwide|RNW Media]]
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| website = [https://lovematters.in/en LoveMatters.in]
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'''Love Matters''' is a global program providing information on [[Intimate relationship|relationship]]s, sex and love. The idea was first developed in the [[Netherlands]] by the independent media producer by Michele Ernsting and Michelle Chakkalackal at [[Radio Netherlands Worldwide|RNW Media]]. It has been referred to as a [[freedom of speech]] program. Its current target countries are [[Kenya]], [[Uganda]], [[China]], [[Egypt]], [[Mexico]], [[Venezuela]] and [[India]].

==Purpose==
Love Matters works mainly online via its own websites and social media channels. In each region, it provides the same delivery method, but the content and language are tailored to each target market. It seeks to bridge the gap in sexual reproductive health information between young people, sexual health experts, educators and services. The concept has been honored by the [[World Association for Sexual Health]] and is also mentioned in the [[United Nations]] manifesto on reproductive health.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hills |first=James |date=2023-06-01 |title=Spark Your Marriage: Simple Actions For More Love |url=https://coupleplaces.com/relationship-advice/spark-your-marriage-simple-actions-for-more-love.html |access-date=2023-07-21 |website=coupleplaces.com |language=en-GB}}</ref>

==History==
The first Love Matters platform was launched in November 2010 in Netherlands, and then subsequently launched in India in 2011. This was following the banning of sexual education in a number of regions in [[India]] in the years prior to this.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Chadha|first1=Monica|title=Indian state bans sex education|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/6523371.stm|publisher=[[BBC]]|date=April 3, 2007}}</ref> The platform expanded rapidly to [[Latin America]], [[Africa]], the [[Middle East]] and China.

[[Radio Netherlands Worldwide|RNW Media]] launched the idea after seeing problems globally with [[sex education]]. The coverage in [[India]] gave them a platform to launch the idea, with them launching Love Matters India in late 2011. The idea came following decades of work by [[Radio Netherlands Worldwide|RNW Media]], using shortwave radio. The [[Netherlands|Dutch]] media group partnered with a number of local institutions, including the [[Indira Gandhi National Open University]] for Love Matters.<ref name=hindustan>{{cite web|title=An online guidebook on safe sex|publisher=[[Hindustan Times]]|date=January 23, 2012}}</ref>

The exact strategy for the launch was created following a survey they carried out with young [[India]]n citizens in [[Delhi]] and [[Mumbai]]. Originally the platform was launched as a website, with the focus shifting to mobile [[CSS]]-styled websites after the survey's results clearly stated that their target market of young people wanted to access the information predominantly on their [[mobile phone]]s.<ref name=hindustan />

Love Matters second launch was in [[South America]] in 2011, with “Hablemos de Amor”, which translates as ''Let’s talk about Love''. The region and name were later redefined, with the [[Latin America]]n version of the platform focusing on three areas, [[Venezuela]], [[Mexico]] and [[Cuba]]. The title was also changed to ''Hablemos de Sexo y Amor'', to include sex in the title, a bid to make the platform more popular amongst men. The next step for the platform was to move to [[Kenya]], where it went live in 2012. As part of the launch, Kenyan newspaper [[The Star (Kenya)|The Star]], launched a weekly feature and an advice column, talking about common relationship issues.<ref name=thestar>{{cite web|title=Love Matters by The Star|url=http://www.the-star.co.ke/sections/love-matters|publisher=[[The Star (Kenya)]]|access-date=2015-11-23|archive-date=2015-11-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151108123152/http://www.the-star.co.ke/sections/love-matters|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 2013, Love Matters took the decision to expand to [[China]], where it is commonly taboo for people to openly talk about sex and sexual problems. This has contributed to the increase in [[teenage pregnancy]] in the country.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Gao|first1=Y.|last2=Lu|first2=Z.|last3=Shi|first3=R.|last4=Sun|first4=X.|last5=Cai|first5=Y.|title=AIDS and sex education for young people in China|journal=Reproduction, Fertility and Development|date=2001|volume=13|issue=7–8|pages=729–37|doi=10.1071/RD01082|pmid=11999327}}</ref> When Love Matters and their partners in [[China]] carried out a survey in [[Beijing]], it found that 47% of the young people had never received formal [[sex education]]. Of the 47%, nearly two thirds of them wanted to have access to more information.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Zhang|first1=L.|last2=Li|first2=X.|last3=Shah|first3=I. H.|title=Where do Chinese adolescents obtain knowledge of sex? Implications for sex education in China|journal=Health Education|date=2007|volume=107|issue=4|pages=351–363|doi=10.1108/09654280710759269}}</ref>

After the success of the platform in various regions, it was expanded to the [[Middle East]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Wereldomroep verzorgt seksles in het Arabisch|url=http://www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/22351621/__Seksles_in_het_Arabisch__.html|publisher=[[De Telegraaf]]|date=March 4, 2014}}</ref> The platform aims to tackle many taboos within Middle Eastern culture, which in general doesn't offer [[sex education]] within schools. Al Hubb Thaqafa, which can be translated to ''love is culture'', is predominantly managed and run by Middle Eastern women.<ref>{{cite web|title=Egipto: hablemos de amor y de sexo|url=https://edition.cnn.com/videos/spanish/2014/03/24/cnnee-balderas-egypt-love-matters.cnn|publisher=[[CNN]]|date=2014}}</ref> While Love Matters approach goes against many traditional views in countries such as [[Iran]], [[Pakistan]] and [[Egypt]], it has been accepted by many as a social tool for [[sex education]], especially for females in the region.<ref>{{cite web|last1=El Feki|first1=Shereen|title=An Arab spring of love matters – Al Hubb Thaqafa defies sexual taboos|url=https://www.theguardian.com/global-development-professionals-network/2015/feb/20/love-matters-al-hubb-thaqafa-sex-education-defies-sexual-taboos|work=[[The Guardian]]|date=February 20, 2015}}</ref>

==Content==
Love Matters India works locally with many institutions to help promote the platform to local people. It is a sex-positive platform, meaning it refuses to be censored by [[religion]] or taboos. On that particular platform, visitors post [[blog]]s and queries, which are answered by the fictitious person ''Auntyji.'' The figure is aimed to provide a motherly figure for younger individuals, based on the relationship between elders and young adults in [[Indian culture]]. The framework of the site is to answer many general questions that Indians may have, while also providing tools such as an encyclopaedia of sex terms to promote self-learning.<ref name=hindu>{{cite web|title=Information matters|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Delhi/information-matters/article4062111.ece|work=[[The Hindu]]|date=November 5, 2012}}</ref>

Other information and medical coverage is also displayed on many of the platforms, including information on [[HIV]] and [[AIDS]].<ref name=hindu /> In regions such as [[Kenya]], Love Matters has also distributed content using the existing media channels. From 2012 onwards, the platform partnered with [[The Star (Kenya)|The Star]] in [[Kenya]], to write on a weekly basis about common relationship problems.<ref name=thestar />

==Locations==
Love Matters operates regionally, creating targeted content, dependent on what is required for that given target region. The earliest launch was in [[India]], with other locations such as [[Kenya]] soon following. Other major regional platforms have included [[Latin America]], [[China]] and the [[Middle East]].

==Coverage==
The Love Matters concept received recognition in 2013 from the [[World Association for Sexual Health]], following its expansion to various locations globally. After receiving the award, a member of the awarding panel stated in an interview that he believed Love Matter carried out “innovative work in reaching a large number of young people in challenging settings.”<ref>{{cite news|last1=Fridman|first1=Cristina Tania|title=The 2013 WAS Gold Medal winners|publisher=[[World Association for Sexual Health]]|date=December 2013}}</ref>

In recent times, Love Matters was mentioned by the [[United Nations]] as part of their advice [[manifesto]] for their guidelines on reproductive health.<ref>{{cite news|title=UN Population Division, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, with support from the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) - Guidelines on Reproductive Health|publisher=[[United Nations]]|date=2015}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Relationship education]]
[[Category:Sex education]]
[[Category:2009 establishments in India]]

Love Matters (program) - Revision history

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