Lack of knowledge on sex, drugs puts adolescents at risk
Evi Mariani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Lack of knowledge about sex, reproductive health and illegal drugs has put Indonesian adolescents at risk, while data made available by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) shows that 23.5 percent of the country's adolescents have no idea what HIV/AIDS is.
Adolescents and youths, or people aged 10 to 24, in Indonesia account for 30 percent or around 62 million of the country's total population of 210 million.
Only 26 percent of the young people were able to discuss sex and reproductive health with their parents, according to UNFPA data, distributed during a launch of its annual report State of World Population 2003: Investing in Adolescents' Health and Rights on Wednesday in Jakarta.
A majority, 86 percent, get information on sex and HIV/AIDS from inadequate sources like friends and entertainment media, the data shows.
Meanwhile, the report states that information and education on sexual and reproductive health is critical to adolescent development and well-being. Promoting behavioral change is essential in reducing adolescent pregnancy and stemming the HIV/AIDS pandemic.
For example, a campaign to increase condom usage among Indonesian commercial sex workers, combining print media, events at bars and universities, counseling on condom utilization and education of brothel owners, has increased condom use among the workers from 36 percent to 48 percent, it says.
Besides HIV/AIDS, young people are also vulnerable to sexually transmitted diseases, death risk in improper abortions, unwanted pregnancy, and drug abuse.
A 2001 survey in 5 cities conducted jointly by Indonesian Planned Parenthood Association (PKBI), UNFPA, and the National Family Planning Board (BKKBN) revealed that 14.73 percent of adolescents had had premarital sex but did not possess adequate information about sex or reproductive health.
"Sex and reproductive health is a quite sensitive issue, meaning we cannot talk openly about the matter with youths in one way communication method," said PKBI acting executive director Inne Silviane in the launch. "However, teachers in Indonesia even lack the knowledge and correct methods to talk about it with their students."
Separately, Dewi Ariani, a staff member of University Atma Jaya's Kiosk of Health Information, told The Jakarta Post that many schools did not allow sex and drug education in their schools.
"Some of them refuse, claiming they do not have students who use drugs," she said.
Whereas, the report reveals that half of new HIV infections in the world are among young people aged 15 to 24, and surveys in 40 countries indicated more than a half the people with HIV/AIDS have misconceptions about HIV/AIDS transmission.
"HIV/AIDS has become a disease of the young," said UNFPA Jakarta representative Bernard Coquelin said.
Indeed, the report says 6,000 youths in the world are estimated to be infected with HIV/AIDS everyday, meaning one youth is infected every 14 seconds.
The report stresses that the deadly diseases, along with early marriage and unwanted pregnancy among the world's adolescents are a threat to development and must be combated as part of the war on poverty.
Through the report, UNFPA reminded the world that investing in adolescents' health and rights was important because a fifth of the world's population -- 1.2 billion people -- is aged between 10 and 19, more than ever before.
Helping adolescents with sex and reproductive health issues has become an urgent priority, the report says, calling for more investment in youth-friendly services, family planning and education programs.
It adds that half of the young people here are poor and a quarter live in extreme poverty on less than a dollar a day.