Culture, religion stifle reproductive health education

RELIGION and culture continue to frustrate efforts to disseminate sexual reproductive health (SRH) information to youths in rural Manicaland, the Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council (ZNFPC) has said.

In an interview, ZNFPC Manicaland provincial manager Mr Dyson Masvingise said religious and cultural beliefs associated with most youths in rural areas had strained efforts to reach out to them and disseminate accurate information on reproductive health.

“Youths in urban areas have an influx of information and can easily access information at any given time due to easy internet access and technological advancements in social media platforms and handles.

“It is a different scenario when it comes to their rural counterparts where there is limited access to the internet as well as stronger cultural and religious interference on how they live their lives,” said Mr Masvingise.

Mr Masvingise said the province already had five youth friendly centres in three districts, which were proving very useful in reaching out to youths but not adequate to meet the needs of the whole province.

He urged traditional and religious leaders to join hands in the fight against sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV.

“Efforts to disseminate information and provide SRH services in remote and rural parts of the province have been met with resistance from traditional leaders as well as religious leaders especially the apostolic sect.

“This in effect has resulted in numerous child marriages where children are sent off at a tender age. As such, these young brides are not educated and empowered enough in terms of their menstrual and SRH exposing them to sexual abuse and possible infections.

“There is need for traditional and religious leadership to participate in the education of youths concerning their sexual health. In such settings it is better understood if taught by the traditional leadership,” said Mr Masvingise.

Meanwhile, chiefs have demonstrated their serious intentions in ending early child marriages by taking awareness campaigns to schools.

Chief Mutasa of Manicaland teamed up with Chief Njelele of Gokwe and Chief Nyajina of Murehwa to create literature for consumption at schools by pupils, teachers and parents.

“It pains to hear the outcry for gender equality from women yet the success of such dreams is being stifled in young girls when they are married off young to older men.

“There is not much that can be done at the moment as the legislature is dragging its feet on the alignment of laws on the legal age of marriage and sexual consent.

“The best remedy now is vigorous awareness campaigns to educate the public especially the apostolic sects on the disadvantages of marrying off girls before they have the chance to exploit their full potential,” said Chief Mutasa.

Child marriage is a form of abuse as it violates a girl’s basic rights.

Getting married usually means an end to formal education.

Child brides are vulnerable to physical abuse from their partners or their partners’ families.

Research shows that they are more likely to be abused, threatened or beaten by their husbands than girls who marry later due to lack of empowerment.