Breaking Barriers in Sexual, Reproductive Health in Adolescents
Juvenile delinquencies are associated with adolescents, who find themselves engaging in activities mostly for fear of being labeled outcasts by their peers. One of the many problems they face has to do with their Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH). Therefore how to raise wholly confident, responsible and conscious young people with a true and accurate knowledge of their beings, who can make good decisions and take good care of themselves and of one another?
Churches and organizations have always sought to educate their youths and the long third-term holidays in Cameroon are an opportunity to bring them together for educational programs. In partnership with the Equality Project of the CBC Health Services, the Redeemed Christian Church of God’s Rehoboth Parish brought together over 40 young girls and boys to educate them on their Sexual & Reproductive Health (SRH) and bodies. These adolescents were culled from other Redeemed parishes in Bamenda, Presbyterian Church, and Catholic Church, with consent from their parents.
Held on Saturday July 22, 2023 at the church premises, these children aged 13 – 18 came together for the fifth time after beginning 4 weeks prior to being taught different topics inspired by the book titled, “Understanding Love and Sex”. The aim of the book is to help them understand their sexuality, love, and when to begin discussions on marriage.
“Bringing these adolescents together has been so enriching,” quipped Mme. Tita Pascaline, a Psychosocial Agent at the Regional Hospital Bamenda who worked to organize the training with Mrs. Buri Chantine, Equality Project’s Clinical Supervisor.
“In our society, there is a lot of peer pressure, the desire to meet up with one’s peers in fashion and social status. Many of them come from a moderate background and are not poor but you find them desiring things their parents can’t afford to give them,” added Mrs. Tita.
According reports, the prevalence of many diseases has gone up since the beginning of the crisis. A lot of girls were at some point out of school though some have resumed. The prevalence of pregnancies and STIs went up, especially among adolescents and young girls. The prevalence of HIV in Cameroon is at 4.7% and there is a new wave of infections among adolescents which makes one question the decisions they make about their SRH. A lot of children born to positive mothers are currently at the university level or high school, and many are rebellious to adherence. There are new HIV infections of ages 17 – 24 being recorded that are not mother-to-child transmissions. In young women living with HIV, the pregnancy prevalence has shot up mostly because they lack self-esteem and therefore easily give in to advances.
These youths face diverse challenges and these affect their decision making. Some of them are lack of access to accurate and comprehensible information, which is greatly linked to cultural norms and expectations. Parents think it is not appropriate for them to openly know certain topics because of the myth that letting them know indirectly exposes and encourages them to engage in sexual activities.
“On the contrary, this is not the case,” explained Mr. Njodzeven Divine Ngitir, SRH expert with the CBCHS. “Rather, with access to information, it is proven that they delay onsets of sexual activities and take good responsible decisions that keep them healthy”. As a barrier likewise, most SRH services offered are not adolescent-friendly. “You won’t expect adolescents to feel comfortable mixing with adults,” he said. In addition, many of the service providers are judgmental and do not have the right mannerism and words to approach the subject with these youths. This is one of the greatest challenges these adolescents have in accessing SRH services.
There is no way to properly educate adolescents in this domain without involving their parents/caregivers, who have a key role in providing the education. The Equality project seeks to empower parents on when to begin SRH and sex discussions with their children. What should they say, how should it be done and at what age? These are the aspects they handle. It is important to create an enabling environment in homes as this is the best way to pass across information.
The other facilitators included Mme. Awa Fanny, Project Manager for the Equality Project, and Dr. Fozao Mbi Vanessa, a medical doctor. Mme. Awa interacted with the adolescents on self-esteem and self-confidence during which they expressed their fears related to social interactions. “If a young person has a wrong impression about themselves or does not value themselves, it will affect their relationships. Society can make them change their identities. Without self-value, they can easily give themselves to anyone,” she opined.
Dr. Fozao, on the other hand, was there to make the adolescents know that they are more than a body. To know this, they must first understand their bodies so they were taught about the female and male reproductive organs, and the differences existing between both sexes. She also taught them about the menstrual cycle and menstruation and menstrual hygiene management.
“The media is a blessing and a curse because these adolescents are very exposed to it, and because they do not know who they are, and have not accepted themselves, they have allowed social media to influence the way they behave and act,” she said. The idea is to imbibe self-worth.
It is expected of them to make healthier choices especially in the domains of sex, and in case of pregnancy, etc. This all stems from knowing who they are and how to keep their boundaries. At the end of the session, free screening for HIV was carried out. The Equality project is very particular about empowering, expanding, and scaling up SRH services to adolescents. This would not be possible without funding from ViiV Healthcare which supports positive actions in the domains of HIV and SRH.