Reproductive health for adolescents

Lister Mlotshwa, Sunday News Reporter
ADOLESCENTS are set to be allowed full access to sexual reproductive health information and services without parental consent as part of meeting the goal of ending HIV and Aids by the year 2030.

Chairperson of Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Health Dr Ruth Labode told a live chat on Access of Sexual Reproductive Health Information and Services for adolescents that the national goal of ending Hiv/Aids by 2030 depended on children being allowed to access sexual reproductive health information and services without parental consent as children do not tell parents about their sexual activities.

“As Parliament, we are not trying to change the age of consent to sex which is 16 or age of majority (18), we want those children who have already indulged in sexual activities and also for those who live alone or orphans who are heading families already to have access to contraceptives to prevent the spread of Aids and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs),” said Dr Labode.

She was speaking with women and legal rights expert, Mrs Prisca Dube on the live chat that had 30 participants. A Unicef study of 2019 reports that more than 7 000 children in Zimbabwe failed to proceed to secondary education due to pregnancy and also revealed that Aids is now controllable among adults but difficult among children.

That is because children secretly have unprotected sexual intercourse and also undergo illegal abortions due to the fact that they are not allowed to collect or receive contraceptives. A new policy enacted recently by Government allows pregnant children to attend school like any other pupil. Mrs Dube said contraceptives will not be distributed everywhere for the children to access but they will be accessible to those in need.

She said raising of children was a community effort in the yesteryear but now children are head of families as parents leave them alone in search of greener pastures in the Diaspora.

“Looking at the levels of Aids among teenagers, pregnancies, STIs and backyard abortion, it’s clear those children are indulging in sexual activities. We need to start giving them contraceptive services and condoms in order to prevent pregnancies, STIs, Aids and abortion. Allowing children access to these services does not mean they will be distributed willy-nilly like sweets, the move is meant to make them accessible to those in need of the services,” said Mrs Dube.

She said some adolescents were having relationships with their peers while others are having sexual relations with adults who in some cases are relatives.