Protect Adolescent Sexual Rights

A UNICEF report states that, for children entering adolescence, new experiences bring new risks. Violence, abuse and exploitation can take different forms as children age. Some of the violence is caused by relatives; others by strangers. Some, unfortunately, are even caused by parents. Adolescence is a stage that is delicate in every child’s life. It is sad to note that adolescent-especially girls tend to suffer bullying and extreme discipline from foster parents and acquaintances. Keeping teens safe is hard enough in the physical world, let alone the cyber-world. With the insatiable lust for fame by the youth, it makes it a herculean task to keep an adolescent at bay. Internet scam has been on the ascendancy, and the adolescent is at the forefront of some of these social vices. Most of the adolescents who grow up in neglectful homes always desire to belong. Self-preservation is an instinct found in both humans and animals. This sense of belongingness sometimes is regrettably bad, because adolescents tend to find themselves under the umbrella of bad influence. Harmful practices such as child marriage and female genital mutilation also threatens girls’ health and well-being, with consequences that last a lifetime. The medieval times cultural and moral ethos in this part of the world makes it almost impossible for an adolescent to have a fruitful discussion about their sexuality with parents. Sex education is prohibited at home. It is a topic that is never broached at home. It is taboo. The adolescent eventually obtains sexual education from others who most times turn out as their exploiters.

Data from the Ghana Health Service District Health Information Management Health System (DHIMS) shows that an estimated 109,888 teenagers aged 10 to 19 years got pregnant in 2020. Over the years, several studies have found that the effects of teenage pregnancy on the mother, family and the nation can be devastating. The data on teenage pregnancy is a calamity. This tide can only be changed if parents, societies and stakeholders decide to play their roles in protecting their wards. For over two decades now, ritual money has been the desire of most adolescents in this country.

The premium society puts on moral discipline determines the future of the next generation. Statistics prove that 15 million adolescent girls aged 15-19 have experienced forced sex in their lifetime globally. This is scary. Adolescents need support and protection in their homes, at school, their social environment and online. Societies, unfortunately, underestimate the value of things until they are lost beyond recovery. This, however, must not be the case here. There must be a Communication strategy aimed at putting brakes on the sloppy slop that adolescents are embarking on. As part of the objectives, communities must be mobilised to transform social norms that perpetuate violence, discrimination and harmful practices – while fostering new ones that promote agency, gender equality and non-violence. Durbars and forums must be regularly encouraged at the community level to drum home the need to build a better society through empowering adolescents. Arguably the most important aspect is to create a programme to help adolescents learn life skills, build confidence and advocate for their rights. Adolescents should be encouraged to take their place of pride in society.

Sex education should be on the front burner, at homes and schools. Adolescents should be encouraged to openly speak about their sexual rights and reproductive issues. It emboldens them and provides them with the knowledge to navigate their lives independently. Communication is the key to keeping adolescents safe online and in the real world. Parents need to start talking to their adolescents about how the internet can affect their morals. Parents must let the adolescent children know the online threats they are concerned with, and discuss how to steer clear of them. Anytime parents commence a dialogue about internet safety with their wards, that also paves the way for them to come to the parents when something strange or scary happens. With persistence and incessant discipline, it is possible to steer adolescents off the road that leads to their end.