I am 16 year old youth advocate from the eastern part of Nigeria interested in knowing what youth like me face in other to help give them the right information about their sexual reproductive health.
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These are situations young northern girls in Nigeria face, some young girls are been forced to family hood that is out of their wish, just because their parents are owning some amount of money that they can’t pay or maybe suffering from a problem that can’t be solved, in turn gives their daughter to the man to marry at a tender age.
I had a one on one conversation with a Muslim girl who happened to be a victim of early marrage. She said that some of them at the age of 15 are given goods to hawk, when they go out to hawk, men that are upto their fathers age ask their hand in marraige, when they come home and explain to their parents that they were harassed by some men, the first thing that the parent will ask is if he is an Alhaji (a chief titled man) if yes, the parent will tell them to go back to the man and accept the offer not minding if they are interested to get married.
She went further to explain that some of the men promise to take care of their education and family problems, but all to no avian, she said all what they are after is to get them pregnant and after you might have given birth to 2 to 3 children, they will abandon you and get married to someone younger than you because they believe you can satisfy them again. This is why you see some Alhaji of 35years getting married to a 15years old girl.
The picture above explainns the age difference...
Today I chose to live, not because I have the power to, but every day can I say that. I have been lucky because I have people around me like my friends, relations, even those that I didn’t expect make me fight to live. I have a job, like other people do, which has its good and bad side. But sometimes I want to scream, but everybody comes to my rescue. When I disclosed my status to them, everybody ran away from me, right now I want to die because nobody cares about me. Anywhere I go everybody don’t want to talk to me because of my status, am been stigmatized by those people that call themselves my friends, relations and well wishers. I think I have a right to live but people are making me feel as if I don’t. Now am confused, I don’t know if I should commit suicide, or ……….. I need your advice.
My brother is 20 years old; he is the only person taking care of me because our parents died a while back when he was 18. I'm 16 years old about to turn 17, and I think my brother is on drugs. Every time he keeps telling me he is going to get something in the pharmacy but in turn he doesn’t come back that particular day. But when I see him the next day he looks and acts dizzy. I know that he's 20 and that he has every right to do whatever he likes- but my brother is a responsible person and I know he wouldn't leave me home all night if it was just a decent amount of alcohol he was taking. My aunt is a really big help and is there for me a lot when my brother is away at school. in school he made some friends which I know is not helping him positively. one faithful day he didn’t come home, I called my aunt and she called his cell phone, she said that when he picked up, he sounded very high and that there were a lot of people hollering and yelling around him, and he hung up after about 15 or 20 seconds. This basically confirmed my worst fears, but I don't know what to do. Do you think I am just over reacting or is my brother addicted to drugs? I love my brother so much I don't want anything to happen to him. What should I do I'm scared.
International Youth Day today, also represents a year to celebrate the youth. The theme for International Youth Day is "Dialogue and Mutual Understanding," with its slogan "Our Year, Our Voice." I believe it’s a year for us young people to come together to and share views and idea, as a young person I believe it is time for us to make our views and our issue heard and also to involved in decision-making and also talk to our leaders for meaningful participation of young people in the implementation of the policy.
Research has stated that young people are at risk of risky behaviors like abortions, complications e.t.c from “young people say adults takes over policy implementation, in the community ,and national level but forgetting that.” Young people are key members of their communities and also feature leaders. with my reaserch in my community, i found out young people don’t know that there is a date for young people to be celebrated and for us to make things a reality I believe we start from the grass root because it is said that ‘charity begins at home’ so engaging the youth can take us to a greater height.
Am 20, I and my boyfriend had sex and our condom broke. I had a warm bath (this occurred about 2 weeks ago...) but I am worried. I was supposed to get my period last week and it has yet to come am scared because I keep feeling feverish and all times. A friend advised that I should go for an abortion, but we are very, very short on money, so we cannot afford an abortion. I personally can't afford having a baby, because am too busy with my study. I was just wondering if there is a way to do an abortion at home or home remedies, such as eating something or drinking something...
I really don't want to hear about how I should let the baby live or give it up for adoption. Because when I am ready to have children, I will keep them for me to raise.
As part of advocacy, I had a one on one conversation with a pastor; we had a discussion on sex education. These are his response;
I: Good day sir,
Pastor: Good day my son how are you?
I: fine sir, my name is Thompson Chidera Ukah, a member of your church and also a member of Education as a Vaccine Youth Advocates Group an NGO sir
Pastor: that’s great.
I: daddy there are some issues pertaining young people I will like to discuss with you as a father and also a parent.
Pastor: ok no problems go ahead
I: thank you sir, daddy you know the meaning of HIV/AIDS, and the mode of transmission.
Pastor: yes,
I: daddy you know that young people constitute the highest number of people living with the virus
Pastor: yes, because they practice what they are not suppose to do.
I: like what sir
Pastor: you as a child they are something’s you are not expected to know, so when young people know about it they go about having sex in their tender age.
I: daddy does it mean that sex should not be discussed at home with our parent
Pastor: yes
I: why?
Pastor: thank you my son for that question, you know we don’t preach about sex in church, but rather abstinence. So as a child of God you don’t talk or discuss sex with your parent, because when is been discussed with the children they go ahead and put it in practice, or “have you seen somebody that is been taught something and refuses to practice what he/she is been taught”.
I: no
Pastor: exactly, the person will like to put it in practice so that he/she would know if he has actually learned it, that is also equivalent to sex, when sex is been discussed they go ahead to put it in practice.
I: that is right, when they are not given the appropriate information about sex, because when adequate information is discussed about sex, they will end up been scared on the implications about it.
Pastor: ok, I will see you next time.
So you can see that sex education is some thing we think that should be seriously handled.
I'm 18 years old girl, I hail from the eastern part of
Now I find myself wanting to get physically attracted to girls, like my female co-student, I touch her arm and her hair and hug her all the time. I'm able to make suggestive jokes around women. Nowadays if a guy hits on me (trying to talk to me) I think “oh what does this guy wants?" regardless of what he looks like. I just think when guys hit on me it's seems vulgar.
I really want to be physically attracted to men because I know some guys with great personalities. But it's just easier for me to be close with my female friends. Please I need help.
