Youth have right to full sexual education

One remarkable thing about recent media reports of school-going adolescents boldly indulging in all manner of sexually egregious behaviour is the general absence of discussion about how we got here, and how we can prevent such behaviour among our children and youth.

Yet it is obvious that even before the media reports, something wrong was happening. Consider this: Three out of every 10 new HIV infections are among youth aged 15-24.

In the slums of Nairobi, seven out of every 10 women aged below 20 years have had an unintended pregnancy. Girls make up 70 per cent of new HIV infections among the youth.

For a group that is so sexually active, one would expect that these young people have the relevant information on the subject. Not so, according to a survey by Jhpiego.

Despite the country’s reasonably high literacy rates, only about one in three women and one in four men could correctly tell the period within which a woman is likely to get pregnant.

The high level of sexual activity, blamed largely on lack of access to information on sexuality and poverty, is associated with risks such as HIV/Aids, pregnancy, unsafe abortion, economic hardship, and dropping out of school. Our daughters, as expected, are facing the most serious of these consequences.

Clearly, time is up for delusional thinking. For how long will we let our children learn about sex in the streets or on TV? Simple logic says that teenagers are going to have sex; they always have and will continue to do so.

It is encouraging that religious institutions have lately demonstrated concern and are doing something about it. Through various rites of passage, adolescents are being given medically correct sexuality information that is appropriate for their ages.

They are equipped with the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values that will enable them to develop a positive view of their sexuality in the context of their emotional and social development.

This is what comprehensive sexuality education is all about. It is about preparing adolescents and youth for the issues they will face in life and which most parents are either unavailable for or are uncomfortable to discuss with them.

This goes beyond human reproduction and discusses human rights empowerment, non-discrimination, equality and gender roles, critical thinking, communication and negotiation, decision-making, and assertiveness.

The establishment of such programmes within churches and mosques is an affirmation that sexuality education does not lead to sexual activity.

In fact, many studies have established that such education leads to delayed initiation of sex, decreased frequency of sex, fewer partners, and increased use of condoms.

This is what every parent would want for their children. These are skills that must be given to them both in school and in the community.

This is why the Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health Policy and the national guidelines on age-appropriate comprehensive sexuality education must be brought to the front and centre of school curriculum discussions.

Denying our children such life-saving information is not only bad parenting, but also a violation of their rights.

Ms Abdi is a programmes officer in charge of adolescent and youth reproductive health at UNFPA. [email protected]