“Live Your Life. Know your rights. Learn about contraception.” is the theme for this year

The use of modern contraceptive among young people is very low due to several factors. Concern about contraceptive side effects is the primary reason.

Another reason is the lack of communication between the two partners before having sex. Most of the time young people are afraid, embarrassed, felt too self conscious, feared of being seen as promiscuous to talk about it. Sometimes, due to male control woman doesn’t have are voiceless to decide in whenever to use or not a mean of contraception before having sex.

Sometimes, using contraception is, for some, against their beliefs or value.  Even purchasing or procurement of contraceptives causes stigma for young people in our society. Frequently, young people have to face peers pressure, when their peers say, for example, that using condom is not comfortable without trying to use they agree with that idea.

In rural area condom (the most popular means of contraception in Madagascar) is unavailable at the time.

Myths and misperception of contraceptive use are very common among young people in my country. This confusion and ignorance leads to the fact that means of contraception are not used or used inaccurately.

Modern contraceptive methods are thought to have many side effects even to be responsible of infertility. So, they prefer relying on the traditional contraceptive method like following calendar and the withdrawal which are highly unreliable.

Many methods are also thought to be effective when they are not for example having bath, shower after sex or rinsing woman’s vagina with coca cola or taking inappropriate pills like “nivaquine” after sex.

In our country females are aware of the more method than their male counterparts. Women feel more concerned about the problem.  Young men and young women have the same opportunity to learn about contraception and to look for health services though. Nevertheless, when it comes to make decision in the type of contraceptive methods to use men have the whole control. Most of the time the male condoms are the most popular and practical one but they are not willing to use these though. Attitude on responsibility for making arrangements for contraception is a joint responsibility for the couple. There is a societal change to consider.

Additionally, girls and women’s empowerment in decision making is needed to exercise of their Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights. A program that ensures the capacity building of those girls and women must be set out.

All individual’s right to access to information, to decide matters that are private and intimate in nature. Particularly, young people  has a special need about sexual education and contraception as they are in a period between childhood and adulthood where they experiment sex, and have a lot to know.

Despite these needs social taboo in talking about sexuality leave the right of young people to sexual and reproductive health barely acknowledged. This situation has given rise to problems of availability and accessibility to information and services relating to contraception use.

Yet, young people are not even aware of their rights.

As young people derive their knowledge from the media and the internet, these are good means of communication to promote their rights. In the other way, it can play a major role to raise awareness and acceptance of young people’s rights in term of contraception.

Indeed, health centre is not convenient to young people; health-care providers don’t have appropriate training and overlook the psychological and social characteristics of young people so no one would go there to ask for a means of contraception.

Although, young people are the most in needs because they do not yet have a mature sense of the hazards involved or an appreciation for the long-term implications of an unwanted or earlier pregnancy.

In our society, young people are not used to talk to doctors about contraception; they don’t want to feel promiscuous. Talking to parents about sex is a societal taboo so no one wants to break this damaging silence. So peers are the first source of information when it comes to contraception for young people in Madagascar. Internet and social media are used in big cities. Here, accurate and credible information are needed in order to address the knowledge gap on contraception.

Nowadays, there are few youth friendly services in some regions of Madagascar but they are still paying and not everybody could afford the consultation price even if there is discount for people under 25.

Since 2009, a toll-free hotline service, where I am an on line counsellor, was set out to give young people trusted information and informed choices about safe sex and contraception. The line is accessible from around the country. Nevertheless, a telephone is not accessible for everybody around the nation.

Hopefully, much can be achieved if multiple entry points (education, work, sports or other social activities) and settings (home, community, workplace, school, media and youth friendly health services) are used to inform young people about contraception.

Needless to say, program targeting boys and men is an effective way to enhance couple open communication.