CULTURAL AND SOCIAL BARRIERS LIMITATIONS IN ACCESS TO COMPREHENSIVE SEXUALITY EDUCATION LIMITATIONS IN ACCESSING SEXUAL REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH SERVICES ENABLING ENVIRONMENT FOR YOUTH International Comparisons Know the Facts What is UNFPA Doing?
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CULTURAL AND SOCIAL BARRIERS
In Sri Lanka, traditional cultural practices and beliefs, religion, social class, and economic status have a great influence on the lifestyles of young people, which in turn have varying influence on their reproductive health.
Expectations Vs Reality:
  • Sexual debut is expected to take place within marriage, according to traditional expectations.
  • For most parents and family members, sexuality is a taboo topic of discussion with youth.
  • Research has shown that although parents expect adolescents to postpone sexual initiation until marriage, today’s adolescents and young people hold different views. It was reported that 12% of unmarried males in the 15-17 year age group favoured pre-marital sex, while a higher proportion (20%) in the older age group (18-24 years) approved of pre-marital sex.
  • Although pre-marital sex is not condoned in Sri Lankan society, evidence suggests that adolescents initiate sex at a young age and before they get married.
  • Available data suggests that 6.1% of in-school adolescents in the 14-19 year age group have engaged in pre-marital sex.
  • The mean age at first experience of sexual intercourse was 15.3 years for boys and 14.4 years for girls.
  • The reality is that young people are sexually active despite societal and cultural expectations.
  • However, the influence, expectations, society and cultural has on young people restrict them in seeking reproductive health services, which in turn could have serious consequences for young people in reaching their full potential.
What needs to be done?
  • There is an urgent need to create spaces for young people to acquire knowledge as well as openly discuss relationships and love in association with sex and reproductive health.
  • This should be complemented by comprehensive behaviour change communication strategies,which will help in instilling positive and healthy behaviour.
  • At the same time, there is an urgent need to sensitize parents, religious groups and teachers on the reality of sexual activity of youth and the need to ensure the right of young persons to access information and services on sexual reproductive health.
  • Advocacy that is both culturally sensitive and in line with international discourses need to be undertaken with policymakers and other critical stakeholders.