-
Teenager with contraceptives
Free State Human Rights Commission Manager, Thonoko Modise says access to health is a fundamental right to learners. He says learners must be given accurate information on the implications and consequences of taking contraceptives.
Provincial Department of Health in partnership with Soul City and Lovelife launched an initiative to reduce teenage pregnancy by providing contraceptive implants to learners in Bloemfontein.
Modise says the information must be unbiased, not perpetuate a certain narrative, and it must be based on pure medical and scientific information.
He says, if learners volunteer to take contraceptives, then there is no infringement of any rights.
“Implanting this to minors or to learners at school without their consent will amount to a violation of their right it also borders into a criminal assault over their bodies. They must consent and it must be voluntary, they must voluntarily consent to participation in this process and the other thing is they need to be given accurate information on implication and consequences of taking these implanted contraceptives,”
Video: FS health dept launches family planning program to address teenage pregnancy
