For millions of young people in the world, the onset of adolescence brings not only changes to their bodies but also a new phase of their life.
This includes initiation of sexual activities, marriage and giving birth.
While they lack knowledge and skills for protection, many girls are exposed to unwanted pregnancies, unsafe abortions or, worse, acquiring sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV since many young people face the barrier to accessing reproductive health information.
This is not an issue only for the girls as boys are also at the risk of being infected with STIs and compelled into depression because some are forced to abandon their studies to provide for their unintended families.
Sexual and reproductive health education provides an opportunity to gain knowledge and skills on improved contraceptive information, explore different values and make healthy decisions concerning their sexual and reproductive health.
This also introduces them to the understanding of human rights such as the right to refuse unwanted sex or marriage, as there have been many reported cases of young girls who are coerced into sex.
In our African society, public conversation about sex education and sexuality has long been viewed as obscene and this has created a gap in parent-child communication such that a small percentage of our adolescent boys and girls have a direct conversation on sexuality with their parents or guardians comfortably.
Whenever my mum tried to bring up such a topic I could try by all means to divert the conversation.
I know of an instance where the “girls talk” with friends is considered unreligious and immoral and one is forced to cut off such friends. This is simply because we have shaped our perception of sexual education as a taboo in our society.
Lack of sexual and reproductive education results in adolescent pregnancies which carry along many risks such as anaemia due to unsafe abortion or childbirth, depression and also stigmatisation by society.
In most cases, they are forced to leave school which affects them socially hence the greater number of drop-outs each year.
Many adolescents who are seeking sexual and reproductive services such as appropriate information or treatment, are either not available or provided in a way that is not pleasing.
With such, these individuals feel stigmatised and judged and therefore they shy off from reaching out for such services.
Many people fear being talked to rudely. Therefore health services should be sensitive and friendly to attract the youths and any other individual in need of health services.
We should encourage sensitisation programmes and education even at a community level and in schools to bring the information and exposure close to us.
The government should offer support to young people and the Non-governmental organisations concerned and ensure training of the health care workers to ensure that they effectively deliver.
Giving them access to such information will enable them to make informed decisions about their reproductive health and can pursue their education without hindrance.
Via email
Edited by Kiilu Damaris
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