TV SAYS NO TO SEX AT 12 YEARS

Young people listening attentively as their counterparts present during the outh Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights Beyond 2015 Conference held at The George Hotel.

MANZINI - Traditionalist Timothy Velabo (TV) Mtetwa says children as young as 12 years old had no business engaging in sexual intercourse.

“The report that children as young as 12 years old are having sex is of grave concern, kufa kwelive loku,” the staunch traditionalist, who is also acting Ludzidzini Governor, said.

He mentioned that he had only heard that children as young as 12 were allowed to marry in India.
He said even in that country, the children born by the 12-year-old mothers were stunted and deformed.

“Yes our children are gaining maturity sooner than we observed in our days but this practice of early childhood sexual activity will not only increase the number of infected people in the country but also promote prostitution,” Mtetwa said.

He said the country frowns upon such conduct and it must be nipped in the bud.
Meanwhile, the Family Life Association of Swaziland (FLAS) said it did not promote early sex for young people.
FLAS said this in response to the allegations that children as young as 12 years old are engaging in sexual activities even at their schools with their peers.

This was expressed during the Youth Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights Beyond 2015 Conference hosted by the association at the George Hotel last week.

Chris Fleming, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) said the organisation promoted delayed sex among young people, particularly 12- year-olds until such time when they would

be responsible for their actions.
“Sex should be reserved for people who can take care of themselves in every aspect of the word, have livelihood means, are mature enough and preferably are in a marriage where they can raise their children,” Fleming said.

He mentioned that the risks of early sex were numerous, including contracting HIV/AIDS and unwanted pregnancies, which has a series of implications thereafter due to the girl bearing a child at an early stage.

The organisation further urged the media to assist in dispelling myths which not only exist in the country but the world over.
The PRO said although the country had done well to look into many policy issues and discuss the relevance of those policies to date, young people needed to be appraised on the policies reviewed as well as those to be put in place by government.

“There is a need to disseminate the policies that help protect the youth and the entire population and as such condoms cannot be distributed in schools,” Fleming noted.
He mentioned that it was noted during the conference that young people expressed the need to provide age appropriate comprehensive sexuality education in schools. 

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