19 Apr 2013

HIV and AIDS, together with adolescent and sexual reproductive health related challenges expose young people at risk, Assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Ms Botlogile Tshireletso has said.

Officiating at a meeting on the ministerial commitment to adolescent and sexual reproductive health and sexual education, Ms Tshireletso said parents do not engage and guide youth adequately to face challenges thus preparing them for future.

Ms Tshireletso noted that some young persons become parents and become infected with HIV virus far too early,  before they can identify themselves sexually.

She advised the meeting to be prepared to take a stand and boldly engage young people on sexuality issues and take cognisance that adolescents and young people are not just a homogenous group.

“In order to empower them, provide them with factual information that  would be understood well." she stressed.

Sexuality education, Ms Tshireletso said, is a important for the well being of the current population, and everyone including parents, teachers, health care workers, priests and the rest of the community should be conversant with such issues  and should be able to address them.

"Although the country has improved in health and education outcomes, we are still experiencing challenges with new infections among the youth, high drop outs due to unplanned teenage pregnancies as well as high consumption of alcohol and other substance abuse.

All these challenges, Ms Tshireletso said, makes it difficult for the country to ensure security of youth in the coming future.

National coordinator for the National AIDS Coordinating Agency, Mr Richard Matlhare, said there is need to interrogate facts and figures to map a way forward in informing the country’s position.

He said the nation is challenged to attain the national 2016 vision towards an era of zero infections and an AIDS free generation.

Mr Matlhare noted behavioural change as the driver and main solution towards attaining the vision which lies on sexual and reproductive health of all. 

He said most surveys carried out indicate that common threats include alcohol abuse, moral decay, intergenerational sexual relations as well as transactional sexual behavior.

“We do not want to point a finger at anybody, but we owe it to ourselves to assist the future generation in equipping them with knowledge to work on the country’s moral fabric,” he said.

The meeting was held with the objective of reviewing and validating the findings from the country report on the commitment of civil society in the provision of HIV and sexuality, education and sexual reproductive health services for young people.

It was also to develop a road map for country engagement in the whole process of the development, advocacy, support and implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the commitment.ENDS