Transition from childhood to young adulthood is haunted with gender issues. And when there are gender issues, there is debate over reproductive rights. Physically, men and women develop their bodies to that prepare them for reproduction more than anything else. However, when men and women, since they are part of a culture that have defined gender roles, that have defined customs and traditions, reproductive rights are yet addressed at a snail’s pace. Age of marriage for different cultures vary. At one point in time, the marrying age is 16 to 20.
At another era, it would be marked by elders as 20 to 25. With technological advancements, women postpone marriage and procreation due to education and migration for education and work. Age affects when traditional familial ritual that relate to reproductive health occur. Courtship, marriage and sexuality all fall allowable under certain ages. When the woman or young woman does not conform with traditional practices of these reproductive engagements at proper age, reprimand or ostracism is close at hand. Wellness treatment is also done with age closely noted down.
Debates on when it is wise and applicable to teach safe sex or condom placement prevail because different age groups are affected differently by reproductive issues. Information dissemination therefore takes on a moral and ethical dimension when it comes to consideration of awareness campaigns that needs to be designed according to age group. Provision of Services Since reproductive rights issues remain controversial, far reaching and deeply rooted, many kinds of services have been set up to increase awareness, lobby issues and address problems.
Providing health care services focusing on reproductive health have been a struggle but shows immense promise to attain global success. Most of the provided service though remain curative than preventive. “In sub-Saharan Africa the health system is built around curative services and it is mostly concentrated in urban areas. Family planning was introduced in Africa as a clinical method. In most countries, less than half of the population, mostly those living in major urban centers, have access to a health facility.
Even if the assertion of health officials in many countries that family planning is integrated into their primary health system is true, it is still unavailable for the vast majority of the population who live in rural areas. ” (Haily, 2002) If ever there are services and have been done assumably, providing services remain as a geographic problem. Barriers to bringing these services to far reaching places include money, specializations, language and a clear sound non-biased objective. Reproductive health programs continue to be funded but most of the time, the issues of effectiveness and efficiency of these programs are unaccounted for.
For example, it will be easier to provide in urban areas than rural areas. It will be easier to impart knowledge to educated people than uneducated. Though reproductive health is lobbied daily in the political houses so that funds can be more effective in increasing reproductive health programs’ efficacy, the issues remain needing action and provision of service. We need not go to country based providing of service. In the basic setting of the family, awareness of reproductive health can very well start.
The best persons to open up children to the topic of sex and sexuality are their own mothers and fathers. Not only would openness be facilitated but basic reproductive health taught at an early age beats world wide conferences in understanding the many issues that reproductive health combats today and in more venues to come. Reproductive rights as a movement that is concerned with women’s health development will be the leader that trail blazes in the search for a solution to persistent problems haunting women’s health.
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