Let’s look at Grace’s story (real name withheld). At 17, Grace got admission to the great University of Lagos to study Medicine & Surgery. Grace was excited to move with her Uncle in Lagos, away from her parents, because she heard Lagos was fun. Uncle Gbade, a single working-class man who lived in a rented apartment, was happy to receive Grace. However, two weeks upon arrival, the COVID-19 lockdown was announced, and Grace and Uncle Gbade were locked in the apartment. 

One day, while Grace was making dinner for the two of them, Uncle Gbade walked behind and started caressing her. Grace became uncomfortable and warded him off, but Uncle Gbade wouldn’t desist from her. He eventually raped her several times.

Grace found out she was pregnant three weeks later and didn’t know what to do. She was ignorant about her sexual and reproductive health rights. She finally decided to tell Uncle Gbade about the growing pregnancy. Uncle Gbade would not take it, and he took her to a quack doctor who attempted to remove the fetus. Grace lost her life in the process as a result of ignorance. If she knew better, she would have done better.

Twenty-five years after the (ICPD) 1994 aimed at addressing issues of human rights, population, sexual and reproductive health, many challenges still remain. Too many young people are being left behind on intimate partner or sexual violence.

A range of social, cultural, political, and economic factors and inequalities strongly influences an adolescent’s sexual and reproductive health (SRH). For example, family planning information and services are often tailored specifically for married women. When a young woman asks questions about SRH, she is often frowned at and perceived as promiscuous or immoral.

These factors increase vulnerability to SRH risks (e.g., unsafe sex, sexual coercion) and pose barriers to accessing SRH services. 

Globally, young girls and women have been at the receiving end of the unprecedented challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic presented. Like many other services, the availability and accessibility to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services were impacted negatively, causing distress, anxiety and fear among women and girls. 

“During the COVID-19 lockdown in April, May and June 2020, there was a reduction in uptake of family planning services compared to January, February and March when there was no restriction”. – Reports from Adolescent and Youth-friendly centres in Lagos State.

Conclusively, in addressing the underlying determinants of the Adolescent and Young people’s sexual reproductive health and rights, it is imperative to work with various stakeholders such as parents, community members, and policymakers. Also, it is a matter of urgency that every nation promotes the digitalization of their health system. This will ensure that everyone has unlimited access to health information and services irrespective of their location, especially in the event of another global epidemic. 

Sexual Right is a Human Right! 

ICPD – International Conference on Population and Development.

Written by Kemi Omole.

Edited by Tomiyin Ayibiowu.

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In a statement, the Coordinator, UNFPA/YP, George Adjete, disclosed that the collaboration by both organisations was aimed at raising awareness, training and granting young people access to available sexual and reproductive health, education.

The statement also indicated that over 100,000 youths in four states: Oyo, Lagos, Osun and Ekiti would be trained successfully under the initiative, Beyond Treatment For You Project (BT4U).

It noted that the project was piloted in response to the new political declaration on AIDS 2021, as well as the emergence of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The statement revealed that over 300 adolescents were trained on menstrual hygiene. While 63 got free HIV testing services, over 50 young SRHR Policy advocates were trained on evidence-based advocacy.

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HACEY Health Initiative, a leading development organisation focused on improving the health and productivity of the vulnerable and under-served population in Africa formed the group and tasked them with the role of advocating for improved access to Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) information and services for young people.

The Independent Working Group (IWG) is constituted of 6 students who have shown interest in increasing young people’s awareness of their sexual Health and Rights while also increasing access to youth-friendly SRH services.

The visit which took place at the Office of the Permanent Secretary, Ondo State Ministry of Health on Tuesday had in attendance the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Pharm. Folukemi Aladenola;  Director of Family, Health and Nutrition, Dr. Isaac Aladeniyi; other key officers of the ministry and HACEY’s Youth Amplify Project Manager, Kemi Omole.

Aladenola Folukemi applauded the move by the group stating that Young People’s Sexual and Reproductive Health is an integral part of their total wellbeing and needs to be hugely prioritized.

The Permanent Secretary emphasized that it was more pertinent to encourage the spread of the news of abstinence amongst young people as this will help young people preserve their dignity.

HACEY’s Youth Amplify Project Manager, Kemi Omole stated that conservative society often frowns at sex education as it believes that this leads to increased sexual behaviour, but that sexual health education enables young people to make informed decisions regarding their sexual health and rights.

In a document shared by IWG, they stated that “SRH rights and full availability of the associated human rights are at the core of young people’s transition into adulthood and has a good likelihood of influencing their health and life outcomes and there is a mandatory need to support and uphold these rights to prevent the occurrence of its negative impact.

“Young people need to be educated, healthy, free from STIs and HIV, and not exposed to violence, unintended pregnancy or unsafe abortion regardless of their identity.

“Young people are digital natives and mostly turn to social media as a platform for interaction, connection, and access to information, it is of utmost importance to leverage this platform as a tool for disseminating accurate SRH information,” the document read.

They went on to state the importance of providing opportunities for active participation for young people to contribute, learn and explore their sexual health needs and rights. If this is not ensured the consequences for young people are almost always evident in the status of their overall health & wellbeing, education, and future work life.

HACEY selected the students and tasked them with the roles of monitoring and giving recommendations on how to improve the quality of delivery of SRH services in the state, suggest policy recommendations to the State Ministry of Health from learnings from the project, provide feedback from young people who used the services, amongst other key role bothering on Youth and their access to sexual health information.

The Youth Amplify project implemented by HACEY and funded by Amplify Change U.K is designed to increase awareness and uptake of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services and products amongst young people in tertiary institutions in Ekiti, Lagos, Ondo, Osun, and Oyo States, Nigeria. This project seeks to leverage the power of digital media especially social media to create awareness about SRH among young people as well as inform them on available SRH services in each state and how they can access such services.

HACEY supports the ideology that every individual in the society has the right to make his or her own choice about sexual and reproductive health in fulfilling fundamental human rights obligations.  

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