YOUTH WANT SEX AT 12 YEARS
MANZINI – In what will come as a shock to parents in Swaziland; young people want the age of consenting to sexual intercourse lowered from 16 to 12 years old.
This, in essence, means the youth want the Constitution and other supporting legislation to make it lawful for 12-year-old girls to consent to sexual intercourse. Currently, the Child Welfare Protection Act of 2012 stipulates that the consent age is 16.
The youth voiced this during a conference themed the ‘Youth Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights Beyond 2015’ hosted by the Family Life Association of Swaziland (FLAS) at The George Hotel, in Manzini.
While making his submissions, Vuyo Fakudze of Luvatsi, who presented a piece on Adolescents and HIV, said parents must accept the fact that young children engage in sexual intercourse from as young as 12 years.
“Young girls, some aged 12, are sleeping with their age mates in schools all over the country. Whether we like it or not, 12-year-olds are sexually active and legislators should look into lowering the age of consenting to sexual intercourse from 16 to 12,” Fakudze submitted.
He said it was high time facts were accepted that behavioural change among young people was at an all-time peak and the legislation should take this into consideration.
His submissions were met with a thunderous applause from his peers, most of whom were nodding in agreement as he made his presentation.
Young people from the country’s tertiary institutions took part in the conference and they shared their thoughts on what they felt needed to be reviewed on issues of sexual reproductive health and made recommendations on the priority areas, post 2015.
The event was attended by young people who are students in tertiary institutions such as the University of Swaziland UNISWA), Swaziland College of Technology (SCOT), Southern Africa Nazarene University (SANU), SOS Children’s Villages, members of AMICAAL, Rock of Hope and Luvatsi youth wing.
The overall objective of the conference was to allow young people in Swaziland to reflect on issues of sexual reproductive health as they affect them and make recommendations, post 2015. It was noted that most global instruments would come to an end in 2015, as well as the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) Programme of Action of 1994, and as such it was important that all stakeholders, especially the youth, reflected on the gains made since its establishment in 1994 and make recommendations on a way forward.
Other young people, interviewed on this matter after the conference, concurred with Fakudze, stating that the nation should not turn a blind eye to this issue. “It is a reality that young people are having sex and they mature too quickly and look like grown ups at the age of 12,” said another participant.
The issue of young girls engaging too early in sexual activities was also highlighted by Zelda Nhlabatsi, Executive Director of FLAS. In her address, she mentioned that a study had revealed that one in four pregnant women was a teenager under the age of 16 years.
“Young people in Swaziland start having sex as young as 16 years old and this is a grave concern,” she noted. She also learnt that the youth were unhappy with the fees that the organisation charged for its services.
This, after Nhlabatsi asked the youth if they were happy with services offered by FLAS and what they wanted the organisation to do to ensure that they lived a healthy lifestyle.
“We want the association to charge cheaper fees for their services as they know that a lot of teenagers do not have money and are still in school,” Fakudze said.
Comments (13 posted):
Jokes aside;
1) what GOOD do you hope to achieve in 'pushing' such a petition?
2) I quote, "It is a reality that young people are having sex and they mature too quickly and look like grown ups at the age of 12”. This is not true! Rather their bodies develop quicker compared to the olden days, maturity has to do with growth mentally.
3) As the bible says, "The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a CHILD left to himself bringeth his mother to shame."(proverbs 29:15).
Ayingasiphunyukeli maSwati lamahle, sive sakusasa lekumele sitichenye ngaso lesi lesidukiswako. Asakheni ngebucotfo bantfwabaketfu.
sex was meant for married couples not children.