JASTYLE trains Peer Educators on first World Contraceptive Day

Does ‘on September 26 some young women will find their dream careers are just a dream’ sound familiar? It was the advertisement promoting the first World Contraceptive Day on September 26 under the theme ‘live your life before you start another’.

World Contraception Day is the first-ever international awareness campaign aimed at reducing the high levels of unintended pregnancy that occurs every year. It is a campaign highlighting the importance of enabling women and men to make informed decisions about becoming parents at a time that's right for them.

As part of the activities for the day the Jamaica Solution to Youth Lifestyle and Empowerment (JASTYLE) put on a Contraceptive Workshop in partnership with the National Family Planning Board.

They met to discuss issues that face adolescents, the policy guideline as it relates to counseling and contraceptive use for young persons. “Peer Educators need to know some of the reproductive issues young people are facing so they can help them appropriately. The skills that they gain today will help them to do that,” said Ann-Marie Johnson, Training Officer from the National Family Planning Board.

“The use of contraceptive should be at the forefront of sexual and reproductive health campaigns,” remarked Anisha Taylor an HIV/AIDS advocate.

“I always talk about the use of contraceptive when I am talking to young people. You can’t tell them about abstinence as they can’t bring that to their partner,” she continued.

According to the Child Care & Protection Act parents, teacher, doctors, day-care centre workers, nurses, guidance counselors and other persons who work with children are expected to take responsibility of a child’s safety. These individuals are expected to report incidences of neglect, abuse, child Labour, etc to the Child Development Agencies.

Layne Robison of JASTYLE who pointed out “if you know of incidences were a child's right is being violated under the act and you refuse to report it you can be charged” reinforced this. Many of us do not know this, as such he is advocating for more public education. 

He went on to point out that the charges under this Act are significant. For example hiring a child to work in a nightclub attracts a penalty of one million dollars and the risk of having the club closed down.

Rising Star Nikiesha Barnes was among those who attended the workshop. Ms. Barnes voiced her concerns on how parents should counsel their children as well as how single parent mothers should train their child to ensure that they are ready to live on their own.

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