Students met in Tech’s LR2 Tuesday night to discuss adolescent reproductive and sexual health with members of Americans for Informed Democracy (AID), Advocates for Youth and panelists from Nigeria and Jamaica. The meeting precedes a discussion between activists and area policy-makers concerning America’s role in improving adolescent access to health information in theGlobal South.
“Our goal is to make the NU community more knowledgeable about this problem and to emphasize how massive it is – and to encourage them to act and make a difference,” said Communication junior Madeline Rozwat, vice-president of Northwestern AID.
The meeting included a documentary with a focus on international sex and health rights issues in Jamaica, Ethiopia and Nigeria. Presenters argued for two major provisions: appropriation of one billion dollars in federal funding for international family planning in the 2011 fiscal year and support and passage for the Global Sexual and Reproductive Health Act of 2010. The bill is expected to be introduced to the floor of the House of Representatives in April. There is currently no Senate version of the measure.
“This act will ensure that when the funds are received, the money will go where it needs to,” said Anna-Kaye Rowe, a representative from the Jamaica Youth Advocacy Network. “The act would provide us with better access and better tools to help combat the problem.”
Among the issues addressed were the increases in HIV infection and youth pregnancy in these countries, which panelists attributed to peer influence, taboos surrounding discussion of sex and a lack of information.
Both Rowe and Igomu Ngbede James, a representative from Nigeria, recognized that changing these attitudes will be something a bill alone cannot achieve.
“We are petitioning politicians to change the domestic laws,” said James, who has lobbied the Nigerian national government on sexual health and rights issues.
Organizers have big ideas for the bill.
“We’re hoping this bill will act as a guideline while Congress rewrites the Foreign Assistance Act,” said Priti Gautam, AID’s Global Health Program Director. The Foreign Assistance Act organizes how federal aid is distributed to other countries.
Advocates for Youth works to inform youth about sexual health and rights. AID is an organization that encourages action on “poverty, disease, climate change, and conflict,” according to its Web site. Northwestern AID will be lobbying Sen. Dick Durbin and Rep. Mark Kirk on sexual health and rights as part of their continuing efforts.