TIGblogs - opusben

Amidst poverty, child abuse, drug abuse, war, and famine constituting some of the major social ills militating against children in Africa , now HIV AIDS is threatening to wipe out the African race. And with the increase in the number of children being orphaned by HIV AIDS yearly across Africa, it has become pertinent to ask, whose future is most uncertain? The youth, I believe.

The Youths and HIV/AIDS Issues
Today it's common practice for young adults to want to explore their sexuality. Though, not because they're totally ignorant of this deadly disease but owing to the fact that majority of them are still under informed. And this is a failure on the part of their parents and the society alike, who have refused to discuss theses issues extensively with them. As a result of this, they have been exposed to peer pressure and in so doing share the ideas of such friends and the more influencing fantasies of foreign music videos/movies that they indulge in today.

Our youths are not only exposed to HIV/AIDS due to their indiscriminate sexual habits but also the girls suffer the attendant consequences of pregnancy which could lead them to commit "abortion of unwanted pregnancy" as it is so call.
And this trend is highly dangerous for the African youth.
It has almost become rhetorical to ask if there is a future left for the African child.

Recommendations/Remedies
To check this ugly trend, parents should try more often to see the kind of TV programmes and movies their children enjoy watching so as to understand/know how best to guide/control them accordingly.
And in the fight against HIV/AIDS, I strongly recommend:

(i) Total re-awakening of the basic moral/ethical principles in our society;
(ii) Thorough sensitization and enlightenment campaign on the part of governments and international organizations;
(iii) Total faithfulness between couples in marriages;
(iv) Outright rejection of premarital sex amongst young people;
(v) Total abstinence rather than the provision of condoms as a means of prevention as have been the strategy;
(vi) Religious leader should oblige thorough teachings on sex issues; AND
(vii) Introduction of sex education as part of the school syllabus in all facets of our society.
The remedies to the above lies on the positive change in attitude by our youths on the one hand and the authorities on the other.
I also believe that if our governments across Africa will follow up their policies and programmes on HIV/AIDS with action plans that will be targeted towards the rural areas then the African child/youth will have hope for the future.

Opuada A. Benstowe.