MUKAZA, August 12 (ABP) – At a time when parent-child dialogue seems to have been forgotten within families, young girls need enhanced sexuality education to avoid unwanted pregnancies, according to Eric Nsengiyumva, coordinator of the Association of Former Drug Users (BAPUD), during an interview with a check by ABP on the subject.
According to him, the rate of school dropouts linked to unwanted pregnancies increases exponentially day by the day. He also noted that among the age group of 14 to 25, new HIV/AIDS cases are being detected, while in rural areas, HIV-positive newborns are being found. Mr. Nsengiyumva points out that this stems from a lack of parent-child communication about sexual education.
To address the issue, he proposes that parents should change their mindset, create open spaces to allow children to express themselves in order to understand their perspectives, and, if possible, consider reintegrating them into anti-AIDS clubs as was done in the past. “Reviewing the action plan to support the country in the fight against HIV/AIDS is essential,” he added.
This former drug user also called on administrative authorities, religious leaders, and especially the media to mobilize efforts in the fight against HIV/AIDS, emphasizing that a strengthened synergy and the creation of a platform to post information related to this fight could help save the lives of future mothers and make it easier for the public to access information.
To the government, Nsengiyumva requests support to raise awareness among young people to avoid sexual activity and to combat risky behaviors in order to protect their health.
For his part, Dr. Thierry Nahimana, speaking on issues related to sexual education in schools, indicated that the lack of policy on this subject creates risks for those concerned. He added that some people dismiss the topic as unimportant, seeing it as a form of stigmatization or cultural degradation. However, he clarified that several international bodies such as UNESCO, WHO, and UNICEF encourage its integration into schools so that students develop gender-sensitive attitudes.
“Sexual education provides basic information on sexual anatomy and physiology, puberty, reproduction, STIs, HIV/AIDS, and pregnancy prevention. It aims to prepare young people for puberty and to help avoid unwanted pregnancies and STIs,” he said, adding that the lack of a comprehensive literature base on sexual education makes integration difficult.
He recommended providing both boys and girls with comprehensive sexuality education so that they do not face danger due to ignorance. Other recommendations emphasized guaranteeing all children universal access to comprehensive, non-discriminatory education, improving access and the quality of information, ensuring the sustainability of the program covering this subject, and raising awareness and training teachers in the field.