Health Interactive with Dr Aminu Magashi

Sexuality Education and Child Rights Act

healthinteractive@hotmail.com

 

 

Weekly Trust of June 28th – July 4th 2002 sampled the opinion of many stakeholders, both educationists, religious leaders and those in civil society, over the then controversial Sexuality Education Curriculum for schools. It was a curriculum for upper primary schools, junior and senior secondary schools and tertiary institutions. The Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council, in conjunction with the federal ministry of education, international development partners and local NGOs championed it.

It was aimed at providing information to the teeming children and youths, regarding issues of sexuality, to empower them to make an informed choice, understand themselves better, and to take appropriate decision.
Someone then described the curriculum as capable of generating reckless moral indiscretion, capable of outraging the sensibilities of parents, teachers, moralists of all shades, and will provoke widespread disapproval and condemnation. Majority of the people that the paper interviewed, expressed rejection and condemnation regarding the proposed curriculum. Some were emotional in their outburst. I can vividly remember a lot of articles and advertorials, which led to cacophony of voices, with many dissenting, and a few in support.

In Weekly Trust of 13th – 19th November, 2004, there was almost a similar exhibition of emotion, this time around, not on Sexuality Curriculum, but the Child Rights Act which was passed by the Federal House of Representative into law, and it is expected that the Nigerian populace should adhere to such act. The leading supporter and International Development Partner on the act, is none other than the United Nations Children Fund, with other support from counterpart government agencies , local NGOs and other children activists. The bill was submitted last year to the House of Representative, but was squashed by the members on the floor, due to certain grey areas which border on points of religion and culture. The sponsors went back home and fine tuned the bill, and did a lot of lobbying, and this year, it was resubmitted again to the House. It was debated and later on passed into law as the Child RightsAct.

The people that raised objection and condemned the Child Rights Act, more or less happened to be in the same group and understanding, with those that rejected the sexuality curriculum two years back. While the promoters of the curriculum and the Child Right Act, worked tirelessly to make sure they are implemented, the rejectionists, antagonists, and those that perpetually condemn such issues, are more or less sleeping, beyond the ritual of granting interviews, putting up advertorials and comments. There is still not any coherent effort to checkmate the implementation of the curriculum and the child rights act, or to bring a replacement that respects culture and religion, so that our children and youth will have succour in this country.

I want to believe that although the curriculum is not being implemented all over the country, many states are implementing it, likewise the Child Rights Act. Despite the need to inform our youth on issues affecting their sexuality , those condemning the work of others, are yet to provide workable solutions to the numerous problems attributed to sexuality, and could not realise that the youth are daily being bombarded about sexuality through the pages of magazines, pornographic websites , western films , to mention a few . In fact, the more they condemn without providing an alternative, the more the youth become more anxious and zealous to find out what is it being condemned.

Everybody knows that ,  in Nigeria ,  the prevalence of HIV/AIDS and its rapid spread, occurs more among the youth likewise Sexually Transmitted Diseases, due to their propensity to try any thing new, due to instinct and a natural urge which is attributed to sexuality. Unwanted pregnancy , termination of such using all bizarre manners, cuts across the entire country. No state is isolated , and this phenomenon  later leads to Chronic Pelvic Inflammatory Disease and Infertility at a time when there is desire to have pregnancy. Excessive use of contraceptive pills and injectables without counseling which pose risk of Cancer of the breast. Other common habits equally expose the youths to drug abuse which equally promotes promiscuity.

When one looks at the plight of the Nigerian child , one is in a dilemma, and bewildered as to what is wrong with the people responsible for protecting children. Is it the parents, teachers, the religious leaders or the policy makers . The under five mortality rate is on the increase every year. A lot of preventable diseases are ravaging our society on a daily basis. Our paediatric hospitals are devoid of emergency drugs, facilities and equipment capable of reversing the complications of malaria, immunisable killer diseases, to mention but a few. Malnutrition is a common discovery among children everywhere, and not the exception. Children are begging all over the country and this poses a lot of dangers to health, economic and social co-existence. They are being daily exploited sexually , abused and maltreated by relatives and neighbours , while some are being trafficked out side the country , all due to greed and avarice by the older age groups.

With all these numerous problems , one can say that , teaching sexuality education and implementing the Child Rights Act will be a welcome development, but nevertheless , I have reason in the past on these pages to condemn some portion of the curricula, and equally the Child Rights Act. I am in support of such moves when they are made in a way  that everybody is carried along, from  designing, drafting and implementation. In this way, it will be in conformity with the norms and values of our society. I equally expect the promoters to have conducted a very wide range of geo- political consultations, and advocacy, to ensure contribution from all stakeholders.

In conclusion, I firmly believe that Nigeria needs the Child Rights Act and Sexuality  Education Curriculum, and it is the responsibility of all of us to make sure the two items tally with the religion, customs, and values of our society, we should ensure correct information reaching our teeming youth. If we fail to act now, beyond the rhetoric of media condemnation, what we condemn will still reach our youth through a bad way and in a wrong manner.

 

Re :The Visit of British Secretary for Development to Nigeria

 

I read with interest the Article about the Visit of the  British Secretary for

Development to Nigeria , which was posted on the Internet. I think it was a good summary of the issues discussed at the meeting in Kano . However, I observed that a different name was used for me. I am Adamu Garba, the Director of Diamond Development Initiatives - and not Abdullahi Umar. I would greatly appreciate it , if a correction can be made to prevent

misrepresentation.

 

Very best wishes.

 

 

Adamu Garba

Director

Diamond Development Initiatives

16C, Murtala Mohammed Way

Kano, Nigeria

Tel: 234-64-638148

Fax: 234-64-638602

E-mail: agarba@ddinigeria.org

Website: http://www.ddinigeria.org