The journey to conquer HIV/AIDS
Sex Education is a must
Just the other day, we commemorated the 30th Anniversary since the World Health Organization set December 1st as World AIDS Day. This comes at a when as a country, we are heavily burdened with teenage pregnancy crises.
Statistics from United Nations Populations Fund (UNDP) indicate that between June 2016 and July 2017 378, 397 adolescents in Kenya aged 10–19 got pregnant. A recent survey by National AIDS Control Counsel (NACC) revealed that about 300,000 young people aged below 24 years are living with HIV out of which 184,000 are aged between 10–24 years while 100,000 are children below the age of 14.
Leaders from all walks of life be it political, academicians and even religious sects make blanket allegations over parental negligence, pornography, peer pressure, poverty among others. Despite these factors having a correlation with teenage pregnancy none of them really cause pregnancy.
The truth of the matter is most teenagers are engaging in unprotected sex. This is what really causes teenage pregnancy and as a country we need to put relevant intervention measures to address this menace that has far reaching consequences including increased school dropouts, early marriages, unsafe abortions, death and even upsurge in new infections among the youth.
UNICEF has raised concern over new infections among children and adolescents noting that the world is off track when it comes to ending AIDS among this groups by the year 2030. The study shows that three million children and adolescents are living with HIV, 430,000 became newly infected with the virus while 130,000 died of AIDS- related causes in 2017.
We can no longer afford the blissful pretense about sexual activity among the teenagers and it’s time we take sexual education with the seriousness it deserves. This education should be incorporated into the school syllabus so that young children can understand about their reproductive health, the risks involved in unprotected sex and accurate up to date access to effective contraception options.
Do you remember the ABC method? Now this is a good start!
Sub Saharan International Model United Nations (SAIMUN) is a five-day international relations simulation for both high school and university/college students that is held annually at the United Nations Office in Nairobi (UNON) Gigiri. The international meeting is attended by more than 800 students from all over the world, in which they debate the major issues of the international political agenda. SAIMUN19 now beckons all of us to once again take part. The theme is “Youth Leadership at its Peak:The role of the Youth In Sustainable Development” It will be held from 8th -12th July 2019, so make sure your calendars are marked!
SAIMUN also strives to offer an all-rounded journalism experience to the media team through simulating different media: a newspaper — The Daily SAIMUNER, a video news channel on YouTube — SAIMUN News, this blog along with various social media platforms. To get all this and more, subscribe to our mailing list below.
