For far too long most holidays present barriers for adolescent girls and young women hindering them from continuing with their education. Availing contraceptive information and services will provide adolescents girls and young women with an opportunity to go back to school in January.
Providing contraceptives will prevent unintended pregnancies, reduce the number of abortions, and lower the incidence of death and disability related to complications of pregnancy and childbirth.
During this time while the schools are closed parents should take their time to talk to young people to ensure that they are provided with the right information in regards to their sexuality and the importance of delaying sex to complete their education and fulfil their potential.
For adolescents and young people abstinence from sexual activity is the only 100 per cent effective way to avoid unintended pregnancy. For individuals who are sexually active, correct and consistent contraceptive use is highly effective at preventing unintended pregnancy.
Additionally, male and female condoms protect against both unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, and their use should be encouraged. Both adolescents and young people who are sexually active, should be counselled about using condoms at every act of sexual intercourse when not in a long-term, mutually monogamous sexual relationship.
Access to contraceptive information is central to achieving gender equality and it is a key factor in reducing poverty. Lack of these threatens women's ability to build a better future for themselves, their families and their communities.
Talking to adolescents and young people will empower them to plan whether and when to have children, and how many. Young women will thus be better enabled to complete their education; women’s autonomy within their households is increased, and their earning power is improved. This strengthens their economic security and well-being and that of their families.
Adolescent girls and young women in rural areas often have less access to family planning information and services. This leads to higher rates of unintended pregnancies, increased risk of HIV and other STIs, limited choice of contraceptive methods, and higher levels of unmet need for family planning.
Cumulatively, the benefits of counselling and contraceptives contribute to poverty reduction and global development.
It is vital to increase knowledge about and access to contraceptives among adolescent girls to improve their long-term health. Complications from pregnancy and childbirth are the leading cause of death of adolescent girls (ages 15-19). This makes their babies face a higher risk of dying than the babies of older women.
Additionally, particular attention must be paid to promoting their reproductive rights, access to family planning, and other sexual and reproductive health services.
