Indonesia District Drops School Virginity Test Plan

A plan to carry out virginity tests on female high school students in a district in Indonesia has been dropped after a public outcry by parents and students.

The head of district, Irianto Syafiuddin, made the proposal for virginity tests after a video showing two high school students having sex circulated via mobile phones.

"Because many people oppose it, we cancelled the plan," he said. Media reports indicate he will look for an alternative way to prevent students from engaging in pre-marital sex.

Students, parents and activists said the planned virginity tests on thousands of high school students was a violation of human rights.

Many in Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim country, place high value on virginity, although pre-marital sex is not uncommon among the younger generation.

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