Sex Education for Women Saves Lives

In Cameroon, the number of teenage pregnancies each year remains high and often exacerbate ill-health and poverty in young women. 12% of all live births are from adolescents. Health outcomes for both mother and baby are much worse for teen mums. Abortion, which is the other side of the coin, also carries risks as girls often use homemade means of inducing abortion that are not medically safe. Moreover, women of all ages can contract STDs or be overwhelmed by more pregnancies than they can afford, or than their bodies can carry healthily. Women in general often get no formal sex education and learn bits and pieces from peers, who may be misinformed themselves. The situation has been made even more difficult by the Anglophone crisis raging in the North West and South West regions of Cameroon. Indeed, some young girls have become displaced within the country and fall victims of sexual abuse and sex trafficking.

What we fight for:

While some are reluctant to talk about sexual health with their children or pupils, it is our most effective weapon against unwanted pregnancies and STDs.
Countries such as the USA, that have no unified policies about teaching sex ed. to children, report a much higher number of teenage pregnancies than countries such as Sweden, where only 5 out of 1,000 teenagers get pregnant, thanks to their compulsory sex ed. at school.
You may be asking yourself, but what can I do in my own community? If you have children, have a frank talk with them about sex and how to protect themselves. If not, reach out to associations such as ASCOA to drive things like petitions for mandatory sex ed. in schools, condom distribution and education for women of all ages. And most of all, don’t be afraid of asking questions to medical professionals about your own sexual health.

Our goal is to inform women and empower them to look after their health. We fight for a country in which women will be able to get pregnant at their own pace and enjoy an HIV-free life. Moreover, we are committed to help displaced women enjoy a life of dignity after hardships. Help us save countless lives by supporting sex ed. for women.