The Voices of Children and Young People
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<strong>Children</strong>’s Priorities in the Area <strong>of</strong> Sexual <strong>and</strong> Reproductive Health <strong>and</strong> Rights<br />
Figure 4:<br />
Contacts about Concerns Related to Sexual <strong>and</strong> Reproductive Health <strong>and</strong> Rights<br />
100%<br />
32% 26% 12% 9% 8% 7% 4% 2%<br />
Information about<br />
Sexuality <strong>and</strong> Facts <strong>of</strong> Life<br />
Unspecified / Other<br />
Pregnancy<br />
Sexual Identity<br />
Sexual Fantasy<br />
Masturbation<br />
Contraception<br />
STIs / STDs<br />
35% 31% 35%<br />
53% 34% 13%<br />
16% 63% 21%<br />
48% 34% 19%<br />
80% 16% 5%<br />
55% 16% 29%<br />
32% 43% 25%<br />
69% 22% 9%<br />
100,123<br />
81,590<br />
37,403<br />
29,089<br />
24,554<br />
21,215<br />
12,717<br />
7,305<br />
Gr<strong>and</strong> Total<br />
44% 34% 22% 313,996<br />
Next, data shows that boys <strong>and</strong> girls who contact child helplines have<br />
different concerns regarding their sexual <strong>and</strong> reproductive health<br />
<strong>and</strong> rights. Boys are worried primarily about expressive sexual<br />
activity, being unsure <strong>of</strong> how to respond to their sexual fantasies <strong>and</strong><br />
impulses to masturbate. On the other h<strong>and</strong>, girls are mainly focused<br />
on the consequences <strong>of</strong> sexual activity, health <strong>and</strong> reproduction:<br />
contraception <strong>and</strong> pregnancy. Namely, girls make nearly two-thirds<br />
<strong>of</strong> all contacts about pregnancy <strong>and</strong> four in ten contacts about<br />
contraception. Boys, on the other h<strong>and</strong>, make eight in ten contacts<br />
about sexual fantasy, more than two-thirds <strong>of</strong> contacts on STDs/<br />
STIs <strong>and</strong> more than one-half <strong>of</strong> contacts about masturbation.<br />
“I need to know if I am gay,” said the<br />
14-year-old who was confused about<br />
his sexual identity because he liked the<br />
physical contact when playing with his<br />
friends. <strong>The</strong> counsellor explained that<br />
all humans need physical contact to<br />
survive <strong>and</strong> that this is not always sexual<br />
in nature. <strong>The</strong> boy said that he would<br />
explore his feelings <strong>and</strong> call again.<br />
Recognising that boys <strong>and</strong> girls have different priorities holds a part <strong>of</strong> the answer on how<br />
to create an environment in which they can best address their concerns <strong>and</strong> make informed<br />
decisions. Only by underst<strong>and</strong>ing what is most relevant to whom can interventions be shaped<br />
most appropriately to the actual needs <strong>of</strong> boys <strong>and</strong> girls <strong>and</strong> those who are, for various<br />
reasons, not identified as or identifying with either boys or girls.<br />
18
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