By Emmanuel D. Taghoy
ZAMBOANGA CITY – More than 50
students from various high schools in Isabela, Basilan and Zamboanga City were
trained here on September 9-11 on reproductive health and rights.
Commission on Population (POPCOM)-9 Regional
Director Reynaldo Wong said it is vital that students familiarize themselves
with the existing laws that safeguard their reproductive health and rights.
“As we raise the students’ level of understanding
and knowledge about gender sensitivity, we also equip them with life skills to
become empowered and effective advocates of adolescent reproductive health and
rights,” Wong said.
The students were accompanied by the school’s guidance
counselors, who were in the same way capacitated in the techniques and skills
to become effective advocates, providers, facilitators and moderators of
activities and other services that promote adolescent reproductive health and
rights.
Dir. Wong explained that adolescence is a critical journey
for teens from childhood to adulthood. “This is the stage where they will
experience bodily changes like physical, emotional and even social behavior. As
such, they also become vulnerable to human rights abuses, particularly in the
domains of sexuality and reproductive health,” said Wong.
According to Wong, young individuals who enter adulthood
healthy and equipped with cheerfully established dispositions gain better
chances at leading productive lives in adulthood. “The reverse can have
detrimental consequences that could last a lifetime,” he stressed.
The activity is a collaborative effort of the Commission on
Population, US Agency for International Development (USAID) Mindanao Health
project, Department of Health (DOH), Department of Education (DepEd),
Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Western Mindanao State
University (WMSU), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and Human
Development and Empowerment Services, Inc. (HDES).