Right to Sexual and Reproductive Health Education 2016
The most stated source of information was hospitals and health centers. Other
sources of information included posters, leaflets, internet, workshops, friends,
TV, information sessions and counseling by personals from the Ministry of
Gender and random information given by health workers at the health
centers. However, respondents mentioned that leaflets and posters were
usually not easily available. Participants also mentioned the NGOs and other
bodies which aided in the provision of information regarding health and health
related issues, such as SHE and the Thalassemia Center.
It is important to note that even though information was available at hospitals
and health centers, most of the respondents stated that they hesitated to go
and seek information from these sources. Most male respondent stated that
it would be even more unorthodox for a male to seek such information as
there is a higher probability of them being ridiculed and made fun of by other
people. Teenagers and some adolescents stated that their age could be one
factor that made finding such information controversial in the minds of some
adults such as the staff of the health centers who may assume that the
information is being sought with the wrong intention. For example, some
respondents mentioned that they feared that some people may think that
they were seeking information regarding birth control in order to practice safe
physical relations outside of marriage:
“People think that if this type of information is given to us
when we are young, it will encourage us to engage in sexual
activities outside of marriage.”50
A large number among the participants stated that they did not go to seek
information in public places in case they were labeled, which showed that
there was a social restriction on accessing knowledge regarding SRH. Another
50
Student FGD
66
THEMATIC ANALYSIS