According to UNESCO’s “International Technical Guidance on Sexuality Education,” sexuality education can provide “age-appropriate, culturally relevant and scientifically accurate information” to young people. It also helps dispel myths related to sexual and reproductive health. Exposure to sex education also assists youth in developing life skills such as decision-making, confidence, assertiveness, responsibility, asking for assistance and empathy. When positive attitudes and values are nurtured, ideas can flow into open-minded individuals with self-esteem and respect for others, particularly respect related to sexual and reproductive health.
In Uganda, the government encourages parents to participate in reproductive and sexual health education by monitoring body changes in their children, helping them cope, observing their hygiene practices, and knowing their children’s peer groups. Additionally, parents are encouraged to have time to open up and talk to their children, and build parental relationships by representing themselves as role models and engaging in productive activities.
But, this is not always the case. In many instances, pupils drop out of school because of lack of sexual and reproductive health awareness and access to basic needs. One example is Gaba Demonstration Primary School (GDPS) located in Kampala District, Uganda. At GDPS, it was noted that out of every ten pupils who started at the Primary One level, only four students completed Primary Seven.
For young girls, it is very challenging. Some of the basic needs, that the adolescent girls who are going through puberty lack, include sanitary towels and undergarments. Because of lack of resources, this may lead girls to accept money in exchange for sex. This has not only led them to having unwanted pregnancies but also young girls are compelled to get married when they are still young thereby missing education.
Noting these cases in Uganda, we (ACDOEV-Uganda) partnered with Save the Children International in Kampala to implement a project called Keep It Real. In the project, parents testify what they went through when they were adolescents, and what they believe will help the youth facing challenges today.
By implementing this project, I have been able to discover a number of concerns about why parents strongly support our efforts talking to parents as well as their children (13-19 years). Some of the concerns brought forward included parents who were too busy working or too shy talking to their children because of the cultural beliefs and values, especially on issues of sexuality. In conjunction, orphaned children are either abandoned or brought up by guardians who don’t attach any importance giving them a sex education.
Therefore sex education and awareness among the parents and their children in central Uganda, will not only help the pupil prevent HIV/AIDS and early pregnancies but it will also allow them complete school and become important citizens.