Africa: Too Young to Ask? Young Researchers Challenge How Africa Talks About Sexuality Education

In Mombasa, Kenya, a youth-led research initiative is challenging the way Africa discusses sexuality education. Many adults believe young people are too inexperienced to ask such questions, yet their experiences are often overlooked in decision-making processes. Comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) has long been a taboo subject in African classrooms, with limited or incorrect information contributing to higher rates of gender-based violence, HIV transmission, and teenage pregnancy.

Despite this, few schools provide a comprehensive curriculum, and the topic remains politically, religiously, and culturally sensitive. A group of young researchers decided to take a different approach. Instead of relying on adult interpretations, they trained to investigate their own communities and gather evidence based on their lived experiences.

The project's founder, Ahmed Kasule, emphasized the principle "Nothing about us without us," highlighting the importance of involving young people in generating, collecting, interpreting, and disseminating evidence about issues affecting their lives. UNESCO's Dr. Remmy Shawa echoed this sentiment, stating that young people's involvement is crucial to the organization's commitment to comprehensive sexuality education programming and advocacy.

The research findings reveal that where accurate, age-appropriate sexuality education is lacking, young people often seek information from unreliable sources like peers, pornography, and harmful cultural narratives. This can lead to negative consequences for their health, safety, and relationships. Christian Fellner, an Austrian ambassador, highlighted the issue of silence surrounding sexuality, which prevents people from gathering accurate information.

He challenged policymakers who oppose research while still dealing with the consequences of limited knowledge, such as sexually transmitted infections and teenage pregnancies.

Young researcher Catherine Nakachwa explained how the study began with young people seeking someone to talk to about their experiences. Researchers from Ethiopia, Uganda, and Malawi conducted focus group discussions and trained in research ethics, skills, and report writing to gather accurate evidence. The goal is to understand the world better and inform better decisions, especially considering sexual and reproductive health rights as fundamental to sustainable development and gender equality.