Reproductive health education should be strengthened to tackle child trafficking along with the fulfillment of 12 human reproductive rights, the National Population and Family Planning Agency (BKKBN) stated.
“Fulfill the (12) reproductive rights. Do not consider reproductive health (education) a taboo,” BKKBN’s Deputy of Family Planning and Reproductive Health Eni Gustina stated here on Monday.
According to Gustina, poverty and the low awareness of reproductive health has led to the recurrence of child trafficking in the country.
Some poor families often consider their children as “assets” to support the family, she noted. Education about the reproductive system and cervical cancer is even considered taboo in society.
“Economic factor is also the reason. The case in Bogor is just one of the many cases. In Malang, in the past, there were places for women trafficking,” she remarked.
The lack of reproductive health knowledge has led many people, especially women, to underestimate the pre-marriage health exam that includes body mass index, weight and height, upper arm circumference, and blood checks.
Meanwhile, rampant child trafficking is also triggered by weak legal regulations and the unsatisfactory involvement of ministries and institutions in tackling them.
Hence, Gustina urged the Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection and the National Police as the frontlines to more vigorously educate about the dangers of child trafficking and develop clear procedures for the problem.
She noted that only one out of the 12 reproductive rights had been fulfilled, which is access to information about reproductive health.
Meanwhile, in providing education to adolescents to prevent unplanned pregnancies, BKKBN organizes the Generation With Plan “GenRe” ambassadors to invite their peers to prevent stunting and stay away from promiscuity, early marriage, and child trafficking.
Gustina also advised every parent to build two-way positive communication with their children while talking about reproduction matters.
Source: Antara News