A Life Worth Living: Teenagers, The Family, and Health
Lautoka, Fiji - 19 April 1997
Panel
Facilitator: Steven Vete, Inter-Country Programme Advisor, UNAIDS
Dr. James Fong, STD/AIDS Clinic, Lautoka Hospital
Dr. Ragwha Narayan, Ob/Gyn, Lautoka Hospital
Maca Rokomalani, Dietician, Lautoka Hospital
Tony Cull, Peace Corps Volunteer, Ministry of Health
Abdul Shafeel, Prefect, Lautoka Muslim School
Mr. Vete introduced the panellists and stated that while they were all present to talk to the participants, it must also be emphasized that they were also there for participants to talk to.
Dr. Fong started off with the statement that in order to understand STDs, HIV/AIDS, one has to understand that it all comes down to the issue of sex. It is also necessary to understand that the drive for sex is a primitive force that was given to humans by our maker. Trying to harness this drive has been a goal for time eternal and in some countries, people are still stoned to death for engaging in premarital sex. While a poster or ten minute talk will not harness a teenager's sex drive, education is the key. Educators can only hope that students will remember something they've heard and be influenced by it. It comes down to parents, the churches and schools, but they did not have Sharon Stone, Madonna, or music videos to contend with. They have not adapted themselves to the whole onslaught of sexual messages that teenagers of today receive and may not realize that sex is all-pervasive. An individual's decision about sex is not for the here and now. Its effects will be felt far down the line, to the extent that it may determine the course of that individual's life. For example, if a husband engages in casual sex and catches a disease, he can pass it on to his wife, and through her, to any children she may have.
The facilitator made the point that AIDS has brought many hidden issues to light. There are so many societal factors involved that AIDS is not merely a health problem. He believed that sex should not be reduced to just intercourse because it also involves intimacy and sharing. Young people are pushed into thinking in terms. of absolutes that it is either sex or no sex but they should discover the joys of outercourse before opting for intercourse.
Dr. Narayan spoke on the sexual risks surrounding young people. As a physician with 32 years of experience he has seen fisthand the problems encountered by Fiji's youth. One such problem is teenage pregnancy as 80 percent of single mothers who conceived last year were teenagers. The doctor stated the fact that while smoking is a major factor cervical cancer has been linked to having sex early in life because those who start early tend to have more sexual partners. Those who start early are also at higher risk for catching sexually transmitted diseases. There is also the problem referred to by Dr. Fong that a man with numerous partners can transmit diseases to his wife. Thus a whole host of social problems come into play.
Mr. Vete remarked on the need to include men in sex education programmes. Unfair though it is women seem to suffer much more whether it be from health stigma or pregnancy.
Ms. Rokomalani's comments were on the importance of diet to teenagers because adolescence is a time of change when a teenager's nutrition in very important. For example a growing teen's bone mass increases rapidly so there is a need for more calcium. Thus, milk and meat products are vital during teenage years. Ms. Rokomalani listed foods most commonly eaten by teenagers which revealed that teens eat mostly junk food. She emphasized that teenage bodies have not developed fully. Pregnancies place greater pressure on the body because a pregnant teen needs her nutritional intake for herself but much of it goes to the fetus. Many pregnant teens face the added danger of not knowing enough about proper food preparation.
Mr. Cull's presentation was aimed at making participants think. He first asked for the definition of a drug which participants provided as a substance that causes harm to the body. Mr. Cull then placed on a table, a beer, a coke, a pack of cigarettes, Panadol tablets, a bag of cocaine, a joint, and a chili, and asked which of the items. is or contains a drug. According to the definition, all seven items. qualified as drugs because taken in enough quantity, they all have tile potential to harm the body. Participants then altered the definition of a drug to a mind-altering substance. Again all seven items. qualified as drugs because taken in enough quantity, they could all alter the mind. The definition of drug was altered a third time to an addictive substance, and the same response applied because all seven items can be addictive. Mr. Cull's point was that the answer depends on the individual. In closing he stated that all of life is a balance like the ancient Chinese symbol of yin and yang. There is a balance between the body and the brain, and when a person crosses the line from use to abuse, that balance is upset. Participants were urged to use their own good judgement and not to let anyone throw them off balance.
Abdul Shafeel believed that teenagers should have the confidence to speak up and not be shy. He also thought that teens should be open to their parents. Mr. Shafeel stated that there had been many complaints throughout the day that parents don't talk to their children on sexual issues, but many teens are not actually willing to hear what parents have to say. He stated that there are always other resources. He thanked Dr. Fong for giving a talk at Lautoka Muslim College as much was reamed from that talk. Young people tend to talk to their friends but this often creates the situation of the blind leading the blind. Participants were urged to not be afraid to approach teachers with their queries.
A question and answer period followed the panel discussion during which participants were invited to direct any queries to the panellists.
UN-AIDS Presentation
Before beginning his talk, Mr. Vete first explained that UN-AIDS is an AIDS theme group formed by the United Nations Agencies based in Suva: UNICEF, UNDP, UNFPA, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank. He spoke briefly about AIDS in the South Pacific region and stated the fact that the first case of HIV to be reported in the region was done so by French Polynesia in 1985. Twelve years later, AIDS has been reported in 14 South Pacific countries. Like Dr. Fong and Dr. Narayan, Mr. Vete believes that official figures for AIDS are unreliable. A major factor is governments that would not want to adversely affect tourism. This is particularly true for South Pacific countries that depend on tourism for much of their income. Another reason why figures are not reliable is the number of cases that are not reported due to the stigma of AIDS as a poofter or prostitute disease. In addressing this stigma from a religious point of view, Mr. Vete stated that no religion says "help all the sick except those with AIDS." He emphasized that sexuality encompasses relationships and feelings toward other people and is not just about the sex act, and saw the tactic of scaring teenagers away from sex as an insult to our Creator as it turns something beautiful into something destructive. He discussed the difficulty in talking about sex, how such talk goes against our culture, tradition and religion, and pointed out how this needs to be changed because studies indicate that sex education provided to young people before they become sexually active actually delays sexual activities. Mr. Vete also accented the importance of not being judgemental as we are all sexual beings whether hetero, homo or bi-sexual. If you are going to judge others, judge them by standards such as their contribution to society or their kindness to their parents, and not by what they do with their sexual organs. In closing he encouraged participants to demand their rights from their parents and teachers because it is everyone's right to be informed and withholding information does no-one any good.
Conclusions
A number of participants confessed that they attended the workshop because they were obligated to by their principals. However, by the end of the day, many professed to being glad that they had come as they'd learned a great deal. Some were amazed at their prior ignorance and expressed the wish that their parents had discussed some of the issues covered with them. Others admitted that they would be too embarrassed to talk freely with their parents and having family life classes in schools would be better. The opinion was also expressed that family life classes should be compulsory in all schools.
A major concern of the young people was that parents do not spend enough time with them. While parents have valuable knowledge gained from experience, they do not seem to share it with their children. Outside of work they seem to have all the time in the world for their churches and communities and are neglecting the children. While young people would be glad to involve their parents in their extra-curricular activities more, parents are too busy.
Another complaint was that when it came to household chores, children were told to take on more responsibilities as they were old enough for them. However, on the flip side of the coin, they were not old enough to stay out late with friends, etc. Workshop participants saw this as being trusted in the home where conditions are controlled but not being trusted to use their own judgement. Also, many stated that when they asked their parents questions about sex, they were yelled at and questioned as to where they got such thoughts.
Participants were glad that the workshop included both sexes but thought workshops should also be held for parents, as well as for educators, to teach them how to talk freely and openly with children.
In conclusion, while holding on to culture and tradition is important, Fiji's youth reveal the desperate need to change certain aspects of it, in particular the culture of silence.
Reported by Anna Padarath
Last Modified: June 05, 2010