Ensure digital age-appropriate comprehensive sexuality, health education — AHF tells NCC

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

AIDS HealthCare Foundation (AHF), has urged the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) to ensure access to age-approporiate Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) and health interventions.
The foundation which stated this on Friday during a visit to the NCC Digital Economy Department in Abuja at the commemoration of the 2023 International Day of the African Child (IDAC) said digital empowerment for youths is necessary.
At the programme themed, “Switched Up CSE Access through digital empowerment’’, Dr Echey Ijezie, Country Program Director, AHF Nigeria said the visit was to assess how the eight pillars of the National Digital Economy Policy (NDEP) will address the challenges of young people in supporting a digital environment that is sensitive to age appropriate comprehensive sexuality education.
“ Youths are empowered with the appropriate knowledge, skills of assertiveness and understanding for them to feel the perils and all issues that they might arise as they grow older in the society.
“ Comprehensive sexuality education is important as long as it is age appropriate and comprehensive to empower the youths and make them understand what the facts are and live fulfilled lives that is risk free.
“This is the main advocacy and we are looking at different platforms to disseminate these informations that it will form parts of conversation, education for the youths to be enlightened.
“Many of them need to be informed about some of these things that they hear, see and because they have access to different devices and sources of information, so it is important to educate them so make informed decisions.
“If information is hidden from the youths and they find it from other means, which may be wrong. So we are trying to make sure that the information given to them is appropriate, correct and useful to them,’’ he said.
On his part, Mr Steve Aborisade, Advocacy and Marketing Manager, AHF Nigeria, harped on the need to equip youths with appropriate knowledge to make informed decision about their reproductive and health rights.
“UAHF emphasizes the importance of equipping them with knowledge and skills to navigate online actions safely, understand their rights and make informed decisions about their sexual and reproductive health.
“We call on African communities to support age-appropriate CSE, empowering young individuals to make informed choices and contribute to national development.
“Comprehensive sexuality education covers critical areas including abstinence, gender equality, human rights, gender based violence, sexual reproductive health, ensuring young people have the knowledge to protect themselves and their wellbeing.”