Teenagers living in slums could lead better lives if reproductive health became an examinable subject in schools.
This has been revealed by three researchers who have been investigating teenage pregnancies and the spread of sexually transmitted infections in Nakuru slums.
According to the report that was released on Monday, sex education, if enhanced in schools, would demystify the subject and that it will not only reduce risky sexual behaviours, but also reduce unintended adolescent pregnancies, which will have significant impact on their well-being.
The study, which compares slum life in Kenya with that in Bangladesh and Brazil, notes some glaring similarities in reproductive health challenges facing young girls.
These include unplanned pregnancies as a result of given poor education, insecurity within the community and low-levels of autonomy stemming from cultural norms and poverty.
“Increased education might therefore act as a protective mechanism that not only prevents early sexual initiation, but more education improves the understanding by young women of the need to protect themelves from unintended pregnancy,” says the report.