Contraceptive use among adolescents still hindered by stereotypes in Africa
A 2015 geo-spatial analysis of adolescents’ access to and use of contraceptives in Osun State, Nigeria paints a picture of a continent that still lags behind in controlling its birth rate, as a result putting the attainment of the demographic dividend in jeopardy.
The Nigerian study was presented at the 7th African Population Conference – which opened on November 30 in Irene, near Pretoria – by Thompson Adeboyejo from the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology in Nigeria.
Adeboyejo noted that the reason for the low up-take in the use of contraceptives in the Osun State was that the buyers of contraceptive products were seen to be prostitutes and/or their customers and that there was always a castigating view of any adolescent who dared to pick a contraceptive product.
“A major concern to the society is the increasing complexity of the socio-economic implications and health consequences of adolescents’ sexuality and fertility behaviour,” observed Adeboyejo.
Adeboyejo noted that the World Health Organisation said in 2010 that, in Sub-Saharan Africa, 14 million unintended pregnancies occurred every year with almost half occurring among women aged 15 – 24 years.
According to the National Department of Health, two-thirds of sexually active women in South Africa use contraceptives to prevent unplanned pregnancy.
However, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in South Africa has noted that despite the high uptake of contraception nationally, and the enabling policy framework, high numbers of unplanned and unwanted pregnancies remains a challenge and indicates an unmet need for contraception.
This, according to the UNFPA, underscores the need for community mobilisation to increase uptake of family planning services among youths and in some communities, particularly for very poor and deep rural communities. The challenges, says the UNFPA, may be attributed to lack of easy access and lack of knowledge and awareness on the value of contraception, particularly for adolescents and youth.
The availability and accessibility of contraceptives is therefore not only important for preventing unintended pregnancies that obstruct the development of young women, but is also crucial for reversing the trend of an ever-increasing young population in the continent.
It is only through changing the population structure of African countries that the demographic dividend can be achieved. The demographic dividend refers to accelerated economic growth that begins to happen following such a change in the age structure of a country’s population as it transitions from high to low birth and death rates.
The 7th African Population Conference (APC) is hosted by the Department of Social Development in partnership with the Union for African Population Studies (UAPS) and Statistics South Africa. The APC is organised by UAPS once every four years to share and disseminate research evidence on population matters in order to improve policy and programmes on the continent.
The full APC Programme can be accessed at https://uaps2015.princeton.edu/.
The conference continues.
Media inquiries may be directed to Ms Lumka Oliphant on 083 484 8067 or lumkao@dsd.gov.za.
