Andrea

The right information empowers young women and helps them make informed decisions about their health and well-being. That's why she emphasizes the crucial importance of sexual education in schools.

In Honduras, 1 out of every 4 births is to a girl under the age of 19. It's a staggering statistic that reflects the reality many teenagers like Andrea face. Half of these pregnancies result from sexual assaults, often perpetrated within the family. This underscores the urgency of addressing issues like consent and how to identify and report unwanted sexual advances.

One of the reasons why many teenagers like Andrea find themselves in complicated situations is the lack of proper information about sexual education. Girls who, if they had been told earlier that once they start menstruating, they can get pregnant, it would have been important to make them aware of contraceptive methods.

Often, young women turn to their parents for support and encounter negative reactions. This is partly due to cultural taboos surrounding these topics. Andrea, like many girls facing the difficulty of communicating what's happening, would have wished to know that they could have the confidence to tell their parents and receive support from them.

It's crucial to educate young people about what consent is and how to identify and report unwanted sexual advances. For Andrea and many young women, it would have made a difference if they had known at the time that what was being done to them was wrong, and that all the abuse was wrong. Open conversations about the body and respect are essential to empower young women and prevent abusive situations.
Many young women have never had an open conversation with their parents about what it means to be sexually active. Not having access to necessary information makes many situations more difficult than they should be. Sexual education in schools can change this reality.

Andrea's story is just one of many, and it serves as a wake-up call. Comprehensive sexual education in schools is necessary to empower young people and provide them with the necessary tools to make informed decisions about their health and well-being. Together, we can create a future where young women don't have to face difficult situations in silence.