SEXUAL REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND RIGHTS
At some point in a young person’s life, there is often a defining moment that calls for an active choice concerning sex and reproductive health. However, the majority of teenagers in Uganda lack the requisite knowledge to make a responsible and informed decision.
According to the 2011 Uganda Demographic and Health Survey (UDHS, 2011), 26.4% of girls between the ages of 15 and 19 had begun bearing children, and one in every four was found to be pregnant. Every year, more than 300,000 teenage girls become pregnant. Early marriage, poverty, early initiation of sex and a lack of related information drive teenage pregnancies. In the communities we serve, sexual activity among teens is also a significant factor related to the spread of HIV / AIDS, and contributes to school dropout rates, especially among girls.
These statistics underscore the urgent need to address the health challenges of young people that will allow them to make responsible and informed decisions regarding sex and reproduction.
Since, 2013, we have provided comprehensive Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) education to more than 30,000 teenagers in primary and secondary schools in the Jinja, Mayuge, Buikwe, Kamuli and Tororo districts. The purpose of this program is to give teenagers and other young people the information, skills and values necessary to have safe and enjoyable relationships while maintaining full responsibility for, and control of, their own sexual and reproductive health.
Our educational methods include provision of age-appropriate information on human sexuality (male and female pubertal changes and body image), sexual relationships and pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), alcohol and drug abuse and the use of contraceptives to help prevent disease and unwanted pregnancies.
CCUg also offers periodic counseling and career guidance services to adolescent students and youth that seeks to motivate them to continue their education and encourages them to make informed decisions regarding their careers.