Female adolescents’ reproductive health rights : access to contraceptive information and services in Nigeria and South Africa
Savage-Oyekunle, O.A. (Oluremi Ajoke)
As adolescents grow into adulthood and begin to engage in sexual relations, they become vulnerable to sexual and reproductive ill-health. Female adolescents, in particular, are susceptible to sexually-transmitted infections such as HIV, and are at risk of unintended pregnancies. In sub-Saharan Africa, in particular, the HIV and AIDS epidemics are spreading rapidly, also among the adolescent population. Because of this, the imperative to invest in the sexual and reproductive health of female adolescents, who bear a heavier burden of sexual and reproductive ill-health, cannot be greater. Hence, there is a need to advocate the protection of female adolescents’ reproductive health rights and their access to contraception.
The thesis examines the nature, extent and realisation of the right of adolescent girls in Nigeria and South Africa to reproductive health care through their access to contraceptive information and services. Specifically, it investigates the barriers which make access to contraceptive services and information impossible, despite the existence of national, regional and international human rights frameworks which guarantee adolescent girls access to sexual and reproductive health care services and information. Also, the consequences occasioned by the existence of these barriers are examined.
The thesis argues that in order to put a halt to the negative impact associated with adolescent sexuality, it is necessary that the various obstacles in the way of adolescent girls’ access to contraceptive services and information be removed. Especially, the thesis maintains that society in Nigeria and South Africa undergoes wide-ranging changes in attitude since the benefits resulting from such changes with regard to female adolescents’ access to contraceptives will greatly overshadow its supposed undesirable and harmful effects. Soos wat adolessente volwasse word en begin om in seksuele verhoudings betrokke te raak, word hulle kwesbaar vir geslags- en reproduktiewe gesondheidsprobleme. Veral adolessente meisies word blootgestel aan seksueel-oordraagbare infeksies soos MIV, en hulle loop die risiko van ongewenste swangerskappe. In sub-Sahara Afrika, in die besonder, versprei die MIV en VIGS epidemies baie vinnig, ook onder die adolessente bevolking. Dit is dus van die uiterste belang dat daar belê word in die seksuele en reproduktiewe gesondheid van adolessente meisies omdat hulle ŉ swaarder las dra van seksuele en reproduktiewe gesondheidsprobleme. As gevolg hiervan is daar ŉ behoefte daaraan om die beskerming van adolessente meisies se reproduktiewe gesondheidsregte, asook hulle toegang tot voorbehoedmiddels, te bepleit.
Die verhandeling ondersoek die aard, strekking en verwesenliking van die reg van adolessente meisies in Nigerië en Suid-Afrika tot reproduktiewe gesondheidsorg deur middel van hulle toegang tot inligting betreffende voorbehoedmiddels en -dienste. In die besonder ondersoek dit die struikelblokke in hul weg wat verhinder dat hulle toegang tot voorbehoedmiddels en -dienste geniet, ten spyte daarvan dat daar op die nasionale, regionale en internasionale vlakke menseregte-raamwerke bestaan wat adolessente meisies se reg op toegang tot seksuele en reproduktiewe gesondheidsorgdienste en –inligting, waarborg. Die reperkussies van die bestaan van hierdie struikelblokke word ook ondersoek.
Die verhandeling voer aan dat, om die negatiewe impak geassosieer met adolessente seksualiteit te bekamp, dit nodig is om die vele struikelblokke in die weg van adolessente meisies se toegang tot voorbehoeddienste en –inligting, te verwyder. Die verhandeling voer aan dat die gemeenskappe in Nigerië en Suid-Afrika ŉ verreikende verandering in hul gesindheid sal moet ondergaan, aangesien die voordele wat dit vir adolessente meisies se toegang tot voorbehoedmiddels teweeg sal bring die veronderstelde onwenslike en skadelike gevolge aanmerklik sal oortref. Description: