Engage youth in this healthy conversation

The place of youth in the conversation about access to sexual and reproductive health services is critical. However, the plain truth is that young people have not been part of the sexual and reproductive health talk, as they should, a situation that needs to be corrected fast.

A recent report published by the Population Reference Bureau indicates that Kenya’s population will double to 96 million over the next 32 years.

September 26, the World Contraception Day is observed to improve awareness of contraception.

This year, the focus was on enabling young people in Kenya to make informed choices on their sexual and reproductive health.

The section of Kenya’s population that is set to either benefit or suffer the consequences of this projected population growth is youth. 

ECONOMIC DESTINY

In order for youth, and, indeed, the country to benefit from the growing youthful population in the near to medium term, they must be healthy and in charge of their social and economic destiny.

One of the biggest threats to the health and economic well-being of youth is negative sexual and reproductive health outcomes – early, unintended pregnancies, high rates of new HIV infections as well as Aids-related illnesses and deaths.

According to the National Aids Control Council, this is the leading cause of death and illness among adolescents and young people in Kenya.

Some 29 per cent of all new HIV infections in Kenya are among this group. The Kenya Demographic and Health Survey 2014 reveals that many Kenyans aged between 15 and 18 are becoming parents.

Three out of 100 girls are already having children by age 15, rising to 40 out of 100 girls by age 19.

SEXUALITY

Unfortunately, as it is, the youth of Kenya do not have sufficient opportunity to express their sexual and reproductive health needs due to cultural and religious beliefs and misconceptions about their sexuality.

Service providers lack capacity to give youth-friendly sexual and reproductive health information and services.

According to the Ministry of Health’s Kenya Service Provision Assessment Survey of 2010, only seven per cent of public health facilities can offer services.

A majority of the population cannot access services for one of the biggest challenges facing them — sexual and reproductive health.

These services attract young people, meet their needs, and retain them for continuing care. They include access to accurate information and the safe, effective, affordable and acceptable contraception methods.

HEALTH SERVICES

In the past, international development partners, including foreign governments, have been bridging the gap and supporting the government to provide youth with health services.

However, recent changes in foreign policies abroad and shifting donor priorities mean that one of the biggest pots of funding is set to become smaller.

Domestic investments should become the most important source of funds.

The silver lining is that the Constitution set up a participatory system of management of public affairs.

CONTRACEPTIVES

Governments, both at the national and at county level, are required by law to work with citizens to design and execute their programmes.

County governments, the provider of primary health services, including access to sexual and reproductive health, must put young people at the front and centre of the sexual and reproductive health conversation.

They must involve more youth in designing, planning and budgeting for sexual and reproductive health services, including access to contraceptives.

Ms Samba is the Kenya country director at Deutsche Stiftung Weltbevoelkerung (DSW). [email protected]