Youth call for mandatory sex education

Youth and adolescents have asked the government to roll out the national framework for sex education in schools in order to mitigate the increasing number of teenage pregnancies in the country.

They argue that the lack of sex education has been identified as one of the major causes of teenage pregnancies and the increase in new HIV/AIDS infections among youth and adolescents.

A survey done by Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) Alliance revealed that most new HIV/AIDS infections among the youth are due to ignorance in sex education.

"57% of the youth that participated in the survey have no access to friendly services. When we asked them if they knew what sex education is, most youths were not aware," said Lore Roels from SRHR.

They were speaking at the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) Youth Satellite Event organised by UNFPA, Uganda Youth and Adolescents Health Forum (UYAHF), Action 4 Health Uganda, Right Here Right Now and Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) Alliance, among other youth and adolescent centred organisations.

The event was organised for the youth to formulate issues affecting them that will be presented during the commemoration of the 25 years of ICPD in Nairobi, Kenya.

A total of about 180 youths attended the conference with representatives from all various districts.

Reigning Miss Uganda Oliver Nakakande was among the participants. Photo by Betty Musasizi

They said information and sensitisation are very powerful in influencing their decisions and choices regarding sexual and reproductive health.

They, therefore, called on the government to invest more on sex education to help them make informed decisions.

They also underscored the need to involve not just teachers, but parents and government to help achieve this was sited out.

"Parents have to play a role to talk to their children, so if the parent does not do this, then the policy can come in," said Timothy Sserubiri from Muvubuka Agujuse.

Rebecca Masaba, a deaf teenage mother narrated her experience of how she was oppressed and ignored by her parents because they saw her as a burden. They did not avail her with sex education which made her end up pregnant at a young age.

"There is a need to create more awareness. Ignorance should be dealt with and the government should help the deaf get a voice out there," Masaba said.

The newly crowned Miss Uganda Oliver Nakakande who also graced the occasion sympathised with Masaba and pointed out that the youth should be more involved in youth matters.

"I advocate for youth to get involved in youth matters. We have few youth leaders, few youths representing youth. There is also a need to promote education. Nobody can articulate well the issues of the youth more than the youth themselves," she said.

She also highlighted the importance of girl child education, noting that when you educate women, you educate the world.