In 2019 there were about 1.2 billion youth aged 15 to 24 years. This is 16 percent of the global population according to the United Nations. This demographic comes with its challenges and from a health point of view, an urgent conversation on sex and reproducttive health in this age group is necessary.
It is therefore necessary to equip them with information on how to manage some of the issues affecting them on matters of reproductive health. Becoming a teenager and a young adult comes with body changes and new experiences.
They become susceptible to many challenges in their sexual reproductive journey and a good number end of making wrong choices. This is due to due to lack of information and guidance on reproductive health and lack of access to services to protect themselves.
Whereas a lot of engagements have happened among the youth, there is a need for a conversation among the youth themselves to address some of the issues they are facing.
What are some of the issues affecting the youth sexually?
- Relationships
As this group gets into teenage and transition into their twenties, they get into relationships which comes with psychological challenges. Relationship wise, they face, rejection, the need to fit in a social circle and how to approach the opposite gender.
At this age, a young person is grappling with the question of who to date and what to do while in a relationship. This is because they are amateurs and due to their hormonal changes and peer pressure it becomes challenging.
Some end up in toxic relationships where they are experience physical and emotional violence. According to the Center for Disease Control, approximately 10 percent of teenagers have reported physical violence in a relationship. Empowering this age group is vital because it gives them the power to leave such toxic relationships.
- Sex
This is the biggest issue affecting the youth and the pressure that comes with the notion that everyone is doing is immense. Humans beings are now reaching puberty earlier and are likely to marry later in life than in the past. This means that youth are sexually mature and active long before they marry. As a result, several young people are engaging in risky sexual behaviors and this leads to negative health outcomes.
Statistics from Advocates for Youth paints a picture of an age group that is actively engaging in sexual activities. 52 percent of sub-Saharan African women have had sex by age 19 while their male counterparts, 45 to 73 percent of them are engaging in sex by age 17.
- Pregnancy
This has been likened to a death sentence among the young ladies because of the burden that it comes with. Approximately 12 million girls aged 15–19 years and at least 777,000 girls under 15 years give birth each year in developing regions according to the World Health Organization
As of 2019 statistics from the Global Childhood, Kenya has the third-highest teen pregnancy rates with 82 births per 1,000 births. Lack of basic information about contraceptives, use of condoms and, abstinence is the leading cause of early pregnancies.
- Abortions.
With a relationship, sex and pregnancy comes the issue of abortions among young adults. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 3.9 million unsafe abortions among girls aged 15–19 years occur each year. Majority access unsafe abortion due to shame, fear of being a mum early in life and lack of support.
- Sexually transmitted diseases
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 333 million new cases of curable sexually transmitted infections (STI) occur worldwide annually. The highest rates come from 20-24-year-old, followed by 15-19-year-old
Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that one in four sexually active adolescent females has an STD. The most common include chlamydia and human papillomavirus (HPV). In comparison with older adults, sexually active adolescents aged 15–19 years and young adults aged 20–24 years are at higher risk of acquiring STDs.
- HIV and AIDS
AIDS is one of the leading causes of deaths among young people aged between 10-24 in Africa. This is because of lack of adequate information on sexual health which is a key barrier to reducing HIV infections among this age group.
According to the Kenya HIV Estimates report 2018, HIV prevalence among adolescents aged 15-24 is 1.98% (Males 1.34%, Females 2.61%). These statistics are troubling as this puts the future of an entire generation at risk.
World Health Organization (WHO) says that over 30% of new HIV infections globally occur among this demographic.
With such glaring statistics, serious discussions and deliberate action plans targeting the youth should be set up. The question is how we reduce these numbers and ensure that we engage the youth in a conversation.
What should be done?
- Enabling an open conversation among the youth goes a long way in managing these challenges. For example, on HIV and AIDS, MYDAWA has been at the forefront ensuring that the youth take a personal initiative to live sexually healthy.
- Through the Chukua selfie campaign which MYDAWA is a partner, the conversation is revolving around faithfulness to one partner among the young adults to avoid contracting HIV AIDS. Discussing self-testing once every three months with this generation has been a riding theme in this campaign.
- On pregnancy, youth should seek support and look for ways to delay pregnancy. Discussion around the use of contraceptives or even abstinence is necessary because it helps in reducing this challenge.
- According to Pathfinder International, strengthening our health services to young people is key. Here, they can access services without judgment or bias, including access to long-acting contraceptive methods
Working with the youth to change behaviour and influencing other youth is vital because it will create a positive culture among the youth. If you need more information around sex and your reproductive health there are a few resources you can call or engage with for one to one answers to your questions.
- Call our dedicated customer care centre on 020 521 99 99 or WhatsApp us on 0721 301 448
- Join the Chukua Selfie Movement at ChukuaSelfie.com to learn more about HIV self-testing
- One2One Digital Platform by LVCT, toll-free telephone number: 1800 720 121 or Helpline 1190. They also have a Facebook Page, One2One Ke , and their Twitter handle is @One2OneKE
