Lack of access to better sex health education is the worm eating at the
base of the fight against HIV in many societies today as a number of research
results included in this article will show. We will also argue that this lack
of access to proper sex health education is an economical as well as a social
trap.
Roughly 40 million people are currently infected with HIV, 25 million of whom live in sub-Saharan Africa. The pandemic reaches 5 million more people per year, 95 percent of whom live in developing countries. (*1) It is clear that the world over is facing a similar challenge but in varying degrees and this as a result of many variables, many among which include economic reasons, societal perception, taboos etc for example while sex as a topic among many European nations may not be so much taboo, in many African societies it is widely considered as a taboo topic. Generally this one variable stands out and is true for many societies. Sex education is usually synonymous with taboo in many societies. This attribute given to sex education prevents people and more specifically youth in society from gaining the right information and education about proper sex health practices. This results in ignorance which in turn results in unwanted pregnancies, STDs including HIV/AIDS.
Lack of access to sex health education is a trap that has assailed many societies. It is a trap because the consequences resulting from this prove very costly economically and socially. It is also evident from research results that this trap is not intrinsic; societies can break free from it. Evidence of this can be seen from the HIV statistics distribution as given by the world health organization, societies that once had big numbers in terms of HIV are either under control or reducing. And this thanks to aggressive AIDS campaigns centered at effective communication encompassing comprehensive sexuality education.
Studies show that the deaths that result from incurable sexually transmitted diseases (STDS) particularly HIV/AIDS deprive society of able bodied young men and women as these are the sexually active age groups mostly at risk. (*2)
To counter this trend, the developed world increasingly provides aid to countries with high infection rates, paying for prevention, treatment, and care programs to slow the spread of the disease and to ameliorate its ravages. This aid that could otherwise be channeled to other development programs if society regarded sex education in different light and gave it the attention it so urgently needs, unfortunately continues to mitigate the consequences and not the cause. Therefore it is relatively easy to note that lack of access to comprehensive sexuality education is indeed a developmental trap for any society today.
Secondly children are left homeless and without parents, this results in a social imbalance and catastrophe as children are now forced to take up parenting roles for their younger siblings, abandon studies to fend for their survival (*3)
That the core health challenge facing youth is STDS needs no discussion as the research statistics are very compelling. Thus it remains true that so long as this challenge is not curbed, lack of access to sex education will ultimately result in the collapse of our societies.
While it is true that no one prevention measure or approach is enough, emphasis on specific prevention measures must be made appropriately. And against this background, it is obvious that the solution lies in allowing for better and easier access to comprehensive sexuality education and this demands that all sectors of society speak with a united voice against treating this subject as a taboo. This means religious leaders, community leaders, politicians, youths and everyone else must make it their first business to promote speaking freely and without shame about comprehensive sexuality education, because the price we will have to pay if this simple and effortless gesture is taken lightly is a price we cannot afford. Fortunately, we have not reached that position yet, so we still can, and while the statistics are still malleable to our advantage everyone needs to rise and do their part. Promote free and better access to comprehensive sexuality education among youth for a world free from HIV.
References
(*1) As reported on www.unaids.org, www.usaid.gov, and
www.who.int.
(*2) Epidemiological factsheet unaids @aidsinfo.unaids.org
(*3) CDC. STD Surveillance Report, 2006.Atlanta: US Department
of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention; 2008
Eric Mulenga
Y-PEER Algeria
Roughly 40 million people are currently infected with HIV, 25 million of whom live in sub-Saharan Africa. The pandemic reaches 5 million more people per year, 95 percent of whom live in developing countries. (*1) It is clear that the world over is facing a similar challenge but in varying degrees and this as a result of many variables, many among which include economic reasons, societal perception, taboos etc for example while sex as a topic among many European nations may not be so much taboo, in many African societies it is widely considered as a taboo topic. Generally this one variable stands out and is true for many societies. Sex education is usually synonymous with taboo in many societies. This attribute given to sex education prevents people and more specifically youth in society from gaining the right information and education about proper sex health practices. This results in ignorance which in turn results in unwanted pregnancies, STDs including HIV/AIDS.
Lack of access to sex health education is a trap that has assailed many societies. It is a trap because the consequences resulting from this prove very costly economically and socially. It is also evident from research results that this trap is not intrinsic; societies can break free from it. Evidence of this can be seen from the HIV statistics distribution as given by the world health organization, societies that once had big numbers in terms of HIV are either under control or reducing. And this thanks to aggressive AIDS campaigns centered at effective communication encompassing comprehensive sexuality education.
Studies show that the deaths that result from incurable sexually transmitted diseases (STDS) particularly HIV/AIDS deprive society of able bodied young men and women as these are the sexually active age groups mostly at risk. (*2)
To counter this trend, the developed world increasingly provides aid to countries with high infection rates, paying for prevention, treatment, and care programs to slow the spread of the disease and to ameliorate its ravages. This aid that could otherwise be channeled to other development programs if society regarded sex education in different light and gave it the attention it so urgently needs, unfortunately continues to mitigate the consequences and not the cause. Therefore it is relatively easy to note that lack of access to comprehensive sexuality education is indeed a developmental trap for any society today.
Secondly children are left homeless and without parents, this results in a social imbalance and catastrophe as children are now forced to take up parenting roles for their younger siblings, abandon studies to fend for their survival (*3)
That the core health challenge facing youth is STDS needs no discussion as the research statistics are very compelling. Thus it remains true that so long as this challenge is not curbed, lack of access to sex education will ultimately result in the collapse of our societies.
While it is true that no one prevention measure or approach is enough, emphasis on specific prevention measures must be made appropriately. And against this background, it is obvious that the solution lies in allowing for better and easier access to comprehensive sexuality education and this demands that all sectors of society speak with a united voice against treating this subject as a taboo. This means religious leaders, community leaders, politicians, youths and everyone else must make it their first business to promote speaking freely and without shame about comprehensive sexuality education, because the price we will have to pay if this simple and effortless gesture is taken lightly is a price we cannot afford. Fortunately, we have not reached that position yet, so we still can, and while the statistics are still malleable to our advantage everyone needs to rise and do their part. Promote free and better access to comprehensive sexuality education among youth for a world free from HIV.
References
(*1) As reported on www.unaids.org, www.usaid.gov, and
www.who.int.
(*2) Epidemiological factsheet unaids @aidsinfo.unaids.org
(*3) CDC. STD Surveillance Report, 2006.Atlanta: US Department
of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention; 2008
Eric Mulenga
Y-PEER Algeria
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