As women, we need to take responsibility for own safety. We cannot afford to leave this in anybody’s hands. I find that if I think I will be out late, I try to get a friend to accompany me. At least, in the face of any physical threats, there are more of us. Loise makes a similar point in her post. A few weeks ago, I learnt some self-defence moves which can be used if I am attacked. These were very simple moves, but very, very effective, so I think it’s a great idea to get a self-defence expert to teach you some of these.

When it comes to sex, this also applies. If women choose to have sex, we need to take adequate steps to protect ourselves as we are the ones who will have to deal with any repercussions. Rose talks about exhibiting the same caution with our romantic lives.

It’s been wonderful sharing and learning from all of you in these last few weeks. It’s been especially cool to see you all grow in your use of blogs and social networking tools. I hope that you are all able to keep up with these.

Best,
Ore

The police who are “Matumizi Kwa Wote” also play a major role when I think of my safety. I always think twice before I ask for assistance because they are also perpetrators of violence. I would really like to hear some of your experiences and thoughts around insecurity for young women. We can also share some tips on making our lives safer!

Look forward to your posts.

Thats the term I always refer to when I think about young mothers. It is a struggle, a debate, a fight with time and often time of confusion. Even for married women motherhood is quite overwhelming. For a young girl with no support she looses herself....in an instance you are no longer your mothers daughter but someones dependant or in addition someones wife. How many of us are supportive of young mothers? Not financially but emotionally. Sometimes all that one needs is a shoulder to lean on, a hand to hold and a voice to tell them everything will be okay.

Young mothers are put down and often led to believe that they have failed and are doomed. I believe they have the right to smile, to dream, to love and to dance. Its a long way coming but there needs to be structures that offer support emotionally to young mothers. Not to say that it is okay to have unprotevted sex but that if it has happen let us move on and better our lives, move mountains and shake the world!

It has come to a point of despair in our country the rates at which girls and young women are falling pregnant. We need to fight this battle and help young women and girls learn the need to be assertive enough to negotiate for safe sex without feeling intimidated....

Cheers!

Ignorance has contributed a lot to girls engaging into sex. A large proportion of adolescent girls and boys have no access to sexual reproductive health information and services. Their important Live Teachers i.e. parents and school teachers offer little or no information at all. Most of the adolescents are left at mercies of their peers and media, who/which magnify sex and belittling the consequences or effects of the Act (sex).

Poverty is another cause of early pregnancy that we cannot ignore. This year I have got an opportunity to work in two slum areas (Mukuru and Mathare)
Before our sessions we always talk of our experience during the week. I asked one 16 year old and this what she said (Hey! last night it was horror! there is this neighbor of mine who brings girls to his room ALL times. I’m USED of him having sex, but last night it was too much) that’s how far I can go with this story for today.
The look in her eyes, I couldn’t help but sympathies with her. Most Families in Slum areas live in iron sheet house or cartoons depending with how rich they are. All are partitioned with cartoons or iron sheets, in that you can see (peep) or hear everything that happens in the neighbors house.
The question is how can we successfully promote abstinence in this environment where sex is seen and heard by our young ones?
Where in a single room, Parents sleep on the bed while the kids sleep under the bed?
Where rape I the older of the day?
Where there is no dignity of sex?

There is need to safe guard the lives of our girls. We need to deliver our citizens from esteem poverty, construct descent houses and uphold family morals and values for us to reduce teenage pregnancy.
Institutions of education need to integrate sexual and reproductive health education in school syllabus so that Young people can be equipped with SRH, livelihood and life skills at tender age, grow up knowing the right and wrong and be able to make informed choices .
The government need to reinforce all those bills that protect adolescent girls form sexual abuse and exploitation

As a community, our role is clear, let teach our young boys and girls SEX. If we don’t a bad guy will.
Change starts with us. Me and You.