They say being young and in love is risky business.
Yet, there are only a few undertakings nowadays that help the young people deal with the risks and vulnerabilities with being young in our fast-changing world. Much more, the endeavours from different government and non-government organizations could not fully address the needs and concerns of young people.
There is a growing necessity for more creative and innovative ways to reach out to them and harness their potential to develop more productive and healthy behaviour and practices.
The Challenge of Reality
The 2002 Young Adult Fertility and Sexuality Study (YAFS 3) showed that 23.2% of the youth surveyed have engaged in premarital sex (PMS), 18% of whom had their first PMS at 18 years.
In Central Visayas, the average age at first PMS of female youth (15 – 24 years old) is also 18 years old. The percentage of female youth of the same age bracket who have ever been pregnant is 21.3%. The average age at first birth is 19 years old. The absolute number of female youth who have ever been pregnant is 123,002.
Unprotected premarital sex and having multiple partners makes one susceptible to unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases, and unwanted pregnancies in turn can lead to unsafe abortions. In a study of hospital cases of abortion complications, nearly four out of 10 of these cases were reported among the youth. It is estimated that about 400,000 abortions are performed every year in all reproductive age groups.
In the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) and Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC), it is common to have adolescents seeking treatment for vaginal bleeding due to induced and incomplete abortion.
Lack of access to accurate information on sexuality and existing cultural norms aggravate the susceptibility of the youth to risky sexual behaviours.
Tapping the vast potential: a project by the young, for the young
Yo! Lead or Youth on the Lead is a leadership program for youth–initiated adolescent reproductive health advocacy and services in Cebu and Bohol currently being undertaken by the Visayas Primary Health Care Services (VPHCS).
The project aims to promote increased practice of healthy reproductive and sexual health (RSH) behaviors among the youth. It started on July 2006 and is supported by the Planned Parenthood Federation of America – International.
The project is part of various endeavours in response to the reproductive health needs of the youth today.
The project works in partnership with youth organizations in schools and communities in providing information and access to youth-friendly reproductive health services and developing leadership and life skills crucial to them.
It covers young leaders in the University of San Carlos, University of the Philippines in the Visayas - Cebu, Velez College, St. Theresa’s College, and the University of San Jose-Recoletos in Cebu, the University of Bohol and Holy Name University in Tagbilaran City, and in communities in the cities of Cebu, Talisay, Lapu-lapu, and Mandaue, the municipalities of Cordova and Aloguinsan in Cebu, and Carmen, Loon and Panglao in Bohol.
Youth-friendly health services are also available under the project. Medical services, counselling and laboratory tests are accessible in its office clinic and in mobile medical missions
