On Day of African Child, AHF Africa begins ‘Protect the Child’ campaign

To commemorate the International Day of the African Child 2022, which was marked yesterday, AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) Africa Bureau, will host a series of events to launch its “#ProtectTheChild” campaign.

This theme highlights the need for access to age-appropriate Comprehensive Sexuality Education as essential for preventing HIV, STIs and unplanned pregnancies among adolescents and young people across Africa.

The campaign is in response to the pushback and contention that often plague conversations and implementation around Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE), mainly from governments, parents, teachers, and religious leaders because it is believed to encourage sexual activity.

On the contrary, CSE has been proven to have immense benefits for young people’s health and overall wellbeing in spaces where they exist. According to a United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) factsheet, which pooled findings from extensive research across the globe, access to CSE decreased the number of young people engaging in sexual intercourse early and promoted positive attitudes towards sexual and reproductive health.

“Furthermore, it decreased risky behaviours and strengthened young people’s self-efficacy and knowledge to refuse unwanted sex, negotiate condom use, prevent HIV, STIs, and unplanned pregnancies and tackle harmful gender norms,” said Dr. Penninah Iutung, AHF’s Africa Bureau Chief.

“Globally, we are faced with alarming rates of HIV, STIs and unplanned pregnancies among young people, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which is indicative to a large extent of a gap in accurate knowledge, life skills and information,”

“CSE is a fundamental part of the right to health and when we support the availability and accessibility to appropriate health-related information, we demonstrate a respect for young people’s rights to be informed, healthy and live in dignity, which are critical for individual and community well-being.”

AHF Africa will host various live and virtual activities across its 13 country programs to engage key stakeholders, community leaders, parents, teachers and young people on the importance of investing in CSE and galvanise community support towards implementation in schools and communities.

In Nigeria, on June 16, 2022, AHF Nigeria held an interactive session with pupils of Demonstration Secondary School, UNICAL, Calabar, where the essence of menstrual hygiene management was highlighted with the distribution of free sanitary pads to pupils. While on June 22, 2022, we shall be inaugurating a Community Committee on Comprehensive Sexuality Education at Agwan Jukun community, Walomayo, Makurdi South, Makurdi, Benue state as a model and pilot project to get community actors and gatekeepers involved in efforts to protect the child while guaranteeing their health, dignity and wellbeing, knowing fully well that access to comprehensive, age appropriate, sexuality education (CSE) empowers youth with the skills and tools necessary for them to make informed choices.

“AHF Nigeria is committed to reducing HIV/AIDS, STIs and unplanned pregnancies among adolescents and, to do this, we realise that we must empower them with appropriate age-specific CSE to mitigate their vulnerabilities and guard against irresponsible and unhealthy choices,” said Dr. Echey Ijezie, AHF Nigeria Country Program Director.