Africa-Press – Lesotho. The Lesotho Planned Parenthood Association (LPPA) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) held a five day youth training on Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE).
LPPA’s Project Manager Theodosius Ponya said the training was informed by challenges confronting the youth in Mokhotlong. One of them he said it is early and unintended pregnancies.
The Project Manager further mentioned that early child marriage is prevalent in that district. Ponya also mentioned that there is HIV prevalence also in the environs of Polihali
Project. He said the 40 trainees are from the health facilities which are within the surrounds of the ongoing Polihali projects in that district. Ponya
said the aim of the training is to equip participants who will relay the relevant information on CSE to their counterparts. He said they want every youth to know how to
conduct themselves in as far as their sex life is concerned. One of the participants Moselane Qhalane said the training had been an eye opener. Taking stock of the unintended pregnancies amongst the youth, she mentioned
that she can now take advantage of the Planned Parenthood services. Qhalane said they have been enlightened with the usage of emergency contraceptive pill
which could prevent the unintended pregnancies. She further pointed the financial vulnerability and drug abuse as some of the “contributing factors” to early pregnancies.
The UNFPA’s HIV Program Analyst Thabo Lebaka said this is a precursor training, adding that there will also be more to follow. “Going forward there will be a series of workshops where we will capacitate them
[youth] until they are conversant with these issues.
Lebaka said that workshop was set to address “urgent” and “sensitive” matters. In
its website the UNFPA says that: “comprehensive sexuality education enables young people to protect their health, wellbeing and dignity. And because these programmes are based on human rights principles, they advance gender equality and the rights and empowerment of young people”.
For More News And Analysis About Lesotho Follow Africa-Press
