PRHI Advocates Adoption Of Policy On Adolescent Sexual Reproductive Health In Kaduna

A Kaduna-based non-governmental organisation, Population and Reproductive Health Initiative (PRHI) is advocating for the adoption of policy on  adolescent sexual and reproductive health in Kaduna State.

Founding member of the organization, Prof. Clara Ejembi said during a partner meeting with the media in Kaduna last wee Thursday.

The meeting was aimed at gaining desired visibility and joint action from different sectors towards development of a policy on adolescent sexual and reproductive health.

Prof. Ejembi noted at that meeting that, there was need for the adoption of policy on adolescent sexual and reproductive health in the state which she believed would help to empower vulnerable girls delay child marriage and prevent adolescent pregnancy.

According to her, “adolescent period is very important because it is a transition period from being dependent to independent.

“It is a period of sexual maturation and a period of heightened vulnerability, period of experiment, and consequences can be enormous if they don’t get education.”

To her, the 2018 National Demographic Health Survey (NDHS) shows that, transactional sex is high in kaduna, median age of first marriage is 19.1 ranging from 15-9 years.

She mentioned ack of awareness, cultural value, limited access to relevant reproductive health services as factors associated with adolescent.

She then called on the state government to create a budget line, provide services and implement the curriculum of life savings skills for students.

Also speaking, Rise up fellow, Khadija Abdulkarim said, the advocacy was a rise up project with support from Rise up Nigeria.

“The project seeks to advocate for the adoption of the policy with focus on adolescent in Kaduna State.

“The project also seek atmosphere for the development of sustainable program and intervention for meeting needs of adolescent in the state.

“It is to strengthen engagement and collaboration with state government to approve a policy on adolescent sexual and reproductive health by June 2020,” she noted.

Patience Yakubu Sent In This Report