A workshop seeking to expose media practitioners to adolescent reproductive health issues and widen their scope on Sexual Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) of young people, has taken place in Tamale.
The workshop sought to encourage broadcast journalists, columnists, hosts of programmes on television and radio, bloggers and reporters, and online editors to acquaint themselves with the needs of young people and design suitable programmes for them.
Savana Signatures, a Non-Governmental Organisation, organised the workshop for media practitioners on Wednesday as part of the 'Get Up Speak Up (GUSO)' project implemented by the Gh Alliance.
Participants were educated on how to use their medium to sensitise young people to properly observe and appreciate their SRHR needs in their communities as well as pass on information on preventive measures to make the young ones enjoy their reproductive rights.
Teenage pregnancy, early child marriage, drug abuse, gender based violence, unsafe abortion among others were discussed as rampant SRHR related issues confronting young people.
Mr Abdul-Rashid Imoro, the SRHR Programmes Manager of Savana Signatures, said there are many misconceptions about educating young people on adolescent reproductive health.
He said young people needed to be educated, however, the mode of carrying out the education must be carefully looked at in order not to move out of the morality context of the society.
He said sexuality education was not to encourage sex among young people but to sensitise them on the effects of sexual behaviours and how to manage their reproductive rights.
"People need information to make decisions in life and until they have the right information, they may not be able to make the right decisions in life", he said.
Mr Imoro said sexuality education could help young people to delay sexual activities and guide the already sexually active ones to play safe.