Volume 6, Number 20
22 May 2006

BECAUSE OF the upcoming Memorial Day holiday, The Pop Reporter will be published on Tuesday May 30.

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FAMILY PLANNING/REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH RESEARCH

Acceptability and satisfaction using Quick Start with the contraceptive vaginal ring versus an oral contraceptive
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Global)
Contraception. 2006 May;73(5):488-492.
Schafer JE | Osborne LM | Davis AR | Westhoff C
This study compared the acceptability and satisfaction of immediate start of vaginal ring use with immediate start of low-dose oral contraceptive use. Women who reported greater comfort in touching their genitals, greater frequency of masturbation, more comfort with intercourse, and past use of vaginal contraceptives and products were not more likely than others to be satisfied with the ring or to continue using it for birth control.

Predicting subsequent infection in patients attending sexually transmitted disease clinics
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Global)
Sexually Transmitted Diseases. Online access May 15, 2006.
Newman L | Warner L | Weinstock HS
This study identified characteristics associated with subsequent infection in patients attending an STD clinic. Patients with an initial STD had significantly higher probability of a subsequent STD than patients without (12% vs. 4.4%). A subsequent STD was significantly more likely for both sexes for those with an initial STD, who were symptomatic at initial visit, reporting exchange of sex, or under age 20 as well as for men reporting sex with men.

Changes in educational assortative mating in contemporary Spain
(Research Article; Europe)
(You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access this document)
Demographic Research. 2006 May 18;14(7):405-428.
Esteve A | Cortina C
This article analyzed patterns and trends in the educational assortative mating of Spanish women born between 1920 and 1969 using data from the 2001 Spanish Census. Researchers examined intensity and changes in educational assortative mating patterns, crossing barriers across educational thresholds, and degree of symmetry between male and female patterns. Results show that education matters in the composition of unions: people tend to marry assortatively according to their education. However this pattern clearly differs across cohorts and educational groups, being higher for the extreme categories. The most notable trends are 1) the increasing intensity of homogamy among the more educated and 2) the incipient extinction of the traditional female hypergamic pattern.

FAMILY PLANNING/REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH NEWS

Islam does not permit the use of condom
(News Article; Global | Sub-Saharan Africa)
19 May 2006
GNA
Sheikh Osman Bawa, an Islamic scholar, announced that the use of condom is against the basic teachings of the Quran. He cautioned young adherents of the religion not to be deceived by the safety of the use of condom and indulge in promiscuity, since Islam abhor its use, whether in marriage or outside marriage. Sheikh Bawa made his announcement in Kumasi, Ghana, last week, when he gave a talk on the theme, "Youth In AIDS Prevention - The Islamic Point of View" at a forum organized by the Foundation for Social Development, an NGO based in Kumasi.

Poor women now accepting family planning, says NSO survey
(News Article; Asia)
17 May 2006
INQ7
Destitute women, long considered a problem sector in the government's reproductive health advocacy, are showing signs of accepting family planning, according to a recent national survey.

Contraceptives to appear in TV commercials
(News Article; Asia)
22 May 2006
The Korea Times
Companies marketing condoms, contraceptives, and other sex-related products and drugs are looking to advertise their prododucts on television since the easing of broadcasting regulations, industry sources said.

Female condom changes name
(News Article; Global | Sub-Saharan Africa)
The Swazi Observer
The Swazi name for a female condom has been changed to give it a more meaningful definition, as opposed to the commonly used "umkhumbi". The word umkhumbi means a sea vessel and is likened to the shape of the female condom. The Nhlangano AIDS Training Information and Counselling Care and Support Manager said the more appropriate word was "sidziya", a traditional apron usually worn by married women.

FAMILY PLANNING/REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH LAW AND POLICY

Family planning chief worried about low acceptor growth rate
(News Article; Asia)
18 May 2006
Antara News
The chief of the National Family Planning Coordinating Board in Indonesia recently expressed concern over the slow growth rate of the number of people accepting family planning in the country.

HIV/AIDS RESEARCH

Post-abortion care and voluntary HIV counselling and testing – an example of integrating HIV prevention into reproductive health services
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Global | Sub-Saharan Africa)
Tropical Medicine & International Health. 2006 May;11(5):697-704.
Rasch V | Yambesi F | Massawe S
This study assessed the acceptance and outcome of voluntary HIV counselling and testing among women who had an unsafe abortion in Tanzania. 58% of the women who had an unsafe abortion accepted HIV testing. Women who earned an income were more likely to accept testing than housewives. Women who accepted testing were more likely to accept using a condom. The HIV prevalence rate was 19% among single women aged 20–24 years and 25% among single women aged 25–45 years.

Safety and acceptability of cellulose sulfate as a vaginal microbicide in HIV-infected women
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Global)
AIDS. 2006 May 12;20(8):1109-1116.
El-Sadr WM | Mayer KH | Maslankowski L | Hoesley C | Justman J | Gai F | Mauck C | Absalon J | Morrow K | Masse B | Soto-Torres L | Kwiecien A ; for the HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN) 049 Protocol Team.
This study evaluated the safety and acceptability of 6% cellulose sulfate (CS) gel as a vaginal microbicide in sexually abstinent and active HIV-infected women. This Phase I study demonstrated that CS vaginal gel was safe, well tolerated, and acceptable by HIV-infected women and their male partners.

Uganda's HIV prevention success: the role of sexual behavior change and the national response
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Global | Sub-Saharan Africa)
AIDS Behavior. Online access May 11, 2006.
Green EC | Halperin DT | Nantulya V | Hogle JA
There has been considerable interest in understanding what may have led to Uganda's dramatic decline in HIV prevalence, one of the world's earliest and most compelling AIDS prevention successes. Survey and other data suggest that a decline in multi-partner sexual behavior is the behavioral change most likely associated with HIV decline. It appears that behavior change programs, particularly involving extensive promotion of "zero grazing" (faithfulness and partner reduction), largely developed by the Ugandan government and local NGOs including faith-based, women's, people-living-with-AIDS, and other community-based groups, contributed to the early declines in casual/multiple sexual partnerships and HIV incidence and, along with other factors including condom use, to the subsequent sharp decline in HIV prevalence. Yet the debate over "what happened in Uganda" continues, often involving divisive abstinence-versus-condoms rhetoric, which appears more related to the culture wars in the USA than to African social reality.

Design of a community-based study of sexually transmitted infections/HIV and infertility in an urban area of northern Tanzania
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Global | Sub-Saharan Africa)
Sexually Transmitted Diseases. Online access May 15, 2006.
Larsen U | Mlay J | Aboud S | Ballard R | Sam NE | Shao JF | Kapiga SH
This study described the design of a community-based study of STIs/HIV and infertility in northern Tanzania. Over 70% of interviewed women and men provided blood and urine samples. Individuals providing blood and urine samples had high-risk profiles for STIs/HIV when compared with others who did not provide these samples. Although the study results may be affected by selection bias, risk factors for STIs/HIV were similar to those in other studies, supporting the generalizability of the findings.

Optimizing treatment for HIV-infected South African women exposed to single-dose Nevirapine: balancing efficacy and cost
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Sub-Saharan Africa)
Clinical Infectious Diseases. 2006 Jun 15;42(12):1772-1780.
Holmes CB | Zheng H | Martinson NA | Freedberg KA | Walensky RP
This study projected the tradeoffs regarding life expectancy, cost, and cost-effectiveness of antiretroviral therapy regimens for Nevirapine-exposed, HIV-infected women in South Africa.

A high prevalence of HIV-1 infection among pregnant women living in a rural district of north Uganda severely affected by civil strife
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Sub-Saharan Africa)
Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene . 2006 June;100(6):586-593.
Fabiani M | Nattabi B | Opio AA | Musinguzi J | Biryahwaho B | Ayella EO | Ogwang M | Declich S
This study estimated the recent trends in HIV-1 prevalence and the factors associated with infection among pregnant women in the Gulu District of north Uganda, a rural area severely affected by civil strife. The overall and age-specific prevalence did not show any significant trend over time. Increased age, residence in urban areas, being unmarried, increased age of partner, modern occupation of partner, and short time of residence at the current address were associated with infection.

No difference in HIV incidence and sexual behaviour between out-migrants and residents in rural Manicaland, Zimbabwe
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Sub-Saharan Africa)
Tropical Medicine & International Health. 2006 May;11(5):705-711.
Mundandi C | Vissers D | Voeten H | Habbema D | Gregson S
This study investigated whether out-migrants are a selection of high-risk individuals and whether rural-to-urban migration results in risky sexual behavior for HIV incidence. At baseline, future migrants were significantly younger, better educated, and more likely to be single than residents. For males, migration was highest from subsistence farming areas and roadside trading centres and lowest from estates. After adjusting for age, education, marital status, and location, there were no differences in HIV prevalence and sexual risk behavior between future migrants and residents at baseline, for either sex. No significant differences in HIV incidence or sexual behavior during follow-up were detected between rural-to-urban out-migrants and residents.

Engaging local non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in the response to HIV/AIDS : Community REACH Programme
(Report; Global)
(You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access this document)
Washington, DC, Pactworld, 2005.
Cornman H | Grim C | Rana S
Ensuring that increased funding leads to effective and sustainable results requires a commitment to scaling up the local response to HIV/AIDS and building the capacity of the civil society sector to manage the scale-up. This paper 1) outlines some successful strategies of local NGO engagement; 2)examines local NGO strengths and weaknesses; 3) provides advice to donors on effective and sustainable partnerships; and 4) describes four funding models that harness the strengths of local NGOs to effectively respond to HIV/AIDS.

HIV/AIDS NEWS

Central Asia: landmark HIV/AIDS conference ends with new regional commitments
(News Article; Global | Europe)
17 May 2006
Integrated Regional Information Networks
The first HIV/AIDS conference on Russia, eastern Europe, and Central Asia held in Moscow concluded recently with a call for greater leadership and commitment in mitigating the pandemic’s spread in the region.

Kenyan first lady in AIDS storm
(News Article; Global | Sub-Saharan Africa)
19 May 2006
BBC
HIV/AIDS activists in Kenya have been shocked by the first lady's comments that young people had "no business" using condoms. Lucy Kibaki called on students at a school prize-giving to abstain from sex in order to avoid infection with HIV. Her statement contradicts government policy that promotes condom use.

Why is Kenya's AIDS rate plummeting?
(News Article; Global | Sub-Saharan Africa)
18 May 2006
International Herald Tribune
Kenya, along with Uganda and Zimbabwe, is a rarity in Africa, a nation where experts say the AIDS epidemic shows signs of easing.

Uzbekistan: integrated front line approach to tackling HIV/AIDS
(News Article; Global | Asia)
19 May 2006
Integrated Regional Information Networks
In an effort to combat stigma and encourage testing, the government has introduced integrated facilities under one roof: a clinic for anonymous testing, a needle exchange for intravenous drug users, and an advice centre for sex workers.

India: human trafficking in the northeast fuelling HIV/AIDS - report
(News Article; Asia)
17 May 2006
Integrated Regional Information Networks
A study across eight states in this resource-rich, infrastructure-poor, conflict-scarred region seeks to highlight a new worry: the rising tide of human trafficking - mostly women and girls - and its potential for hastening the spread of HIV/AIDS.

Vietnam lacks budget for HIV/AIDS prevention, control
(News Article; Asia)
19 May 2006
Xinhua
Funds (from both domestic and foreign sources) that Vietnam allocates for preventing and battling HIV/AIDS now can meet just 35% of demand for the activities, local newspaper Vietnam News reported recently.

Is there a road to combat HIV on the highways?
(News Article; Global | Asia)
21 May 2006
Economic Times
With better highway amenities and lesser stop times, there could be a reduction of high-risk behaviour and prevalence of HIV/AIDS among 5 million truckers and helpers in India, according to analysts.

Sierra Leone: civil society poised to fight HIV/AIDS
(News Article; Sub-Saharan Africa)
19 May 2006
Concord Times
A coalition comprising key HIV/AIDS response organizations has been formed to ensure that AIDS pandemic is reduced in Sierra Leone.

MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH RESEARCH

Does prenatal care increase access to child immunization? Gender bias among children in India
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Asia)
Social Science and Medicine. 2006 July;63(1):107-117.
Choi JY | Lee SH
Prenatal care appears to serve as a trigger in increasing the chances for access to subsequent health care services. This study focused specifically on how Indian parents' behavior differs before and after learning the gender of their babies. There was evidence for the triggering effect of prenatal care on immunization only among rural boys, but no compelling evidence for this effect among other sub-samples. This finding suggests two things, which are not mutually exclusive. One is that the information spillover from prenatal care has a much larger impact in rural areas, where alternative sources of information are scarce, compared with urban areas. The other is that the sex of a child is a critical factor in producing different levels of health care behavior in rural areas, where sons are favored and more valued than in urban areas.

Grandmothers promote maternal and child health: the role of indigenous knowledge systems’ managers
(Feature Article; Global | North Africa | Asia | Sub-Saharan Africa)
(You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access this document)
World Bank, 2006. (IK Notes No. 89)
Aubel J
This article looks at the importance of community elders as knowledge providers in the context of child health. The results of experiences in Asia and Africa illustrate how change can be brought about from within indigenous knowledge systems when key actors in those systems, i.e., the indigenous knowledge managers, are involved in deciding if and how to combine global knowledge with traditional knowledge. In contrast to many western, reductionist approaches that seek to stimulate change related to specific “priority behaviors”, the approach described here empowers community actors to make such strategic decisions themselves, while simultaneously strengthening the interrelated roles, relationships, norms, and practices within family and community systems.

How social context impacts on women's fears of childbirth: a western Australian example
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Global | Oceania)
Social Science and Medicine. 2006 Jul;63(1):64-75.
Fisher C | Hauck Y | Fenwick J
This paper addresses the limited sociological understanding of the phenomena of childbirth fear using data from a qualitative research project conducted in Western Australia. The analysis identified prospective fear as both social and personal. The social dimensions were labelled as 'fear of the unknown', 'horror stories', and 'general fear for the well-being of the baby'. Personal dimensions included the 'fear of pain', 'losing control and disempowerment', and 'uniqueness of each birth'. Retrospective fear was exclusively personal and was clustered around the themes of 'previous horror birth' and 'speed of birth'. The analysis also revealed two central factors that mediated against childbirth fear: positive relationships formed with midwives and the support women received from their informal network.

MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH NEWS

Jordan: child abuse often goes unnoticed, say experts
(Feature Article; Global | Middle East)
17 May 2006
Integrated Regional Information Networks
Statistics reveal that only 1% of child abuse cases in Jordan are reported by doctors, as compared to 75% by police, 10% by relatives, 9% by government ministries, and 5% by schools.

Madhya Pradesh launches scheme for expectant mothers
(News Article; Asia)
16 May 2006
New Kerala
The Madhya Pradesh government recenlty launched a scheme for would-be mothers, including insurance, aimed at arresting the maternal mortality rate.

MEN'S HEALTH RESEARCH

Local understandings of, and responses to, HIV: rural–urban migrants in Tanzania
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Sub-Saharan Africa)
Social Science and Medicine. Online access May 18, 2006.
Coast E
This study examined male rural–urban migration in Tanzania and its interaction with sexual behavior. The results are counter-intuitive: rural–urban migrants (both married and unmarried) are not having sex in town. Despite limited understanding of the nature of HIV, the migrant population studied here regulates its behavior in a way that reflects local understandings of the disease. This finding is important, not least because it challenges the view that HIV in sub-Saharan Africa is largely transmitted to rural areas by return migrants.

Promoting more gender-equitable norms and behaviors among young men as an HIV/AIDS prevention strategy
(Annual Report; Global | South America)
(You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access this document)
Washington, DC, Population Council, 2006.
Pulerwitz J | Barker G | Segundo M | Nascimento M
This report, produced by the Horizons Project and Instituto Promundo, examines how gender-equitable behavior among young men can affect rates of HIV and STIs. The study involved young men aged 14 to 25 in the favelas (low-income communities) of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Two interventions aimed to improve young men's attitudes towards gender norms: interactive group education sessions and community-wide social-marketing campaigns promoting condom use and gender-equity messages. At the beginning of the study, HIV and STI risk factors such as STI symptoms, condom use, and number of sexual partners, were high amongst the participants, and support for inequitable gender norms was associated with more risk. The two interventions appeared to be successful in promoting more equitable norms and led to significant reductions in HIV and STI risk.

The trouble with MSM
(Letter to the Editor; Global)
American Journal of Public Health. 2006 May;96(5):765-766.
Khan S | Khan OA
In this letter to the editor, the authors debate the pros and cons of the usage of the term "MSM" (males who have sex with males), which they believe is overused in a variety of contexts.

POPULATION RESEARCH

Fertility decline and reproductive health in Morocco: new DHS figures
(Report; North Africa)
Washington, DC, Population Reference Bureau, 2006.
Ayad M | Roudi F
The "fertility transition" (the shift from large to small families that demographers have observed throughout much of the world) has been remarkably rapid in Morocco, according to a recently released demographic and health survey on that country.

POPULATION NEWS

Fertility rate drops by half since 1975
(News Article; Asia)
17 May 2006
The Financial Express
Today, a woman in Bangladesh has three children on an average compared to six or seven children 30 years ago, and it indicates that the total fertility rate has dropped by half since 1975.

Pakistan tries to reduce population growth: minister
(News Article; Asia)
19 May 2006
Xinhua
The Pakistan government is trying to bring down the population growth rate to 1.3% by 2020, local newspaper Daily Time quoting Federal Minister for Population Welfare Chardhry Shahbaz Hussain said recently.

Putin's demography plan called half-baked
(News Article; Asia)
19 May 2006
The Moscow Times
Related News Article: A second baby? Russia's mothers aren't persuaded
Other than offering to throw cash at mothers, President Vladimir Putin gave few clues in his state-of-the-nation address about how he expects to pull the country out of its demographic crisis. That is because there is no silver bullet and little chance that the population slide will be reversed, demographers in Russia and abroad said.

Japanese women wage fertility strike
(Commentary; Global | Asia)
20 May 2006
San Francisco Chronicle
A recent Japanese government survey rates that nation as a difficult place for childrearing. Japan -- although the second largest economy in the world -- has one of the lowest birth rates. Yuriko Nagano, an American journalist living in Tokyo, comments on why a nation that leads the world in its technological advances lags behind when in comes to bearing and raising children.

WOMEN'S HEALTH RESEARCH

Combined hormonal contraception and bone health: a systematic review
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Global)
Contraception. 2006 May;73(5):445-469.
Martins SL | Curtis KM | Glasier AF
This systematic review examined whether women who use combined hormonal contraception experience changes in risk of fracture or bone mineral density (BMD) that differ from nonusers. The evidence relating to combined oral contraceptives (COCs) and fracture is inconclusive, as results from the available studies conflict. Studies of adolescent and young adult women generally found lower BMD among COC users than nonusers. Evidence for premenopausal adult women suggested no differences in BMD between COC users and nonusers. COC use in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women preserved bone mass, while nonusers lost BMD, but BMD among former COC users in this age group was the same as for never-users. Evidence for other combined hormonal methods was very limited, with one study indicating no effect of combined hormonal injectable use among premenopausal women on BMD and one study suggesting lower BMD among premenopausal users of the NuvaRing than in nonusers.

Ovarian cysts in users of Implanon(R) and Jadelle(R) subdermal contraceptive implants
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Global)
Contraception. 2006 May;73(5):532-536.
Hidalgo MM | Lisondo C | Juliato CT | Espejo-Arce X | Monteiro I | Bahamondes L
This study evaluated the prevalence of ovarian cysts in users of two contraceptive implants compared to users of intrauterine contraceptive (IUC). Ovarian cysts were detected in 5.2%, 13%, and 1.9% of users of Implanon(R), Jadelle(R), and IUC, respectively, at 3 months. At 6 months of use, prevalence was 7.2%, 8%, and 2.1%, whereas 12-month rates were 26.7%, 14.6%, and 1.2% in the three groups, respectively. The time until disappearance of the ovarian cyst was similar in all three groups. There were more cases of menorrhagia in users of implants who had ovarian cysts than in those with no ovarian enlargement.

Microbicide applicators: understanding design preferences among women in the Dominican Republic and South Africa
(Abstract; subscription needed for full text; Global | Central America and the Caribbean | Sub-Saharan Africa)
Sexually Transmitted Diseases. Online access May 15, 2006.
Cohen JA | Steele MS | Urena FI | Beksinska ME
This study prioritized applicator design attributes among women in the Dominican Republic and South Africa and determined how preferences differed based on sociodemographic variables. Single-use design was the most valued attribute, and reusable design and low price were the least valued attributes in both populations. Preference for single-use design was associated with concern about reusable applicators spreading germs, secondary or higher education, older age, having children, and perception of moderate to high HIV risk.

WOMEN'S HEALTH NEWS

Cervical cancer vaccine one step from approval
(News Article; Global)
19 May 2006
Los Angeles Times
In a major advance for women's health, a Food and Drug Administration advisory panel recommended recently that the agency approve a new vaccine against a sexually transmitted virus that causes cervical cancer.

Iran's draft law on dress has many worried
(News Article; Global | Middle East)
20 May 2006
Associated Press
A draft law aimed at encouraging Islamic dress raised fears that Iran's hard-line government plans to re-impose veils and head-to-toe overcoats on women who have shirked the restrictions for years, letting hair show and wearing jeans and shapely outfits.

Tanzania: study links payment of bride price to abuse of women
(News Article; Sub-Saharan Africa)
16 May 2006
Integrated Regional Information Networks
The practice of paying bride price is one of the factors contributing to women in Tanzania suffering sexual abuse, battery, and denial of their right to own property, a study conducted by the Tanzania Media Women Association says.

Uganda: hope for fistula sufferers
(Feature Article; Sub-Saharan Africa)
15 May 2006
New Vision
There is hope for obstetric fistula sufferers, following interventions by Government and NGOs to mitigate the impact of the disease and raise awareness on the causes and preventive measures.

YOUTH HEALTH RESEARCH

Culture of silence: a brief on reproductive health of adolescents and youth in Pakistan
(Report; Asia)
(You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access this document)
Washington, DC, Population Reference Bureau, 2006.
Sultana M
This brief presents the experience of married and unmarried young people from different social strata and residence regarding their own attitudes and expectations about reproductive health. While the average age at marriage is rising in Pakistan, a substantial proportion of girls still marry during their teens, and only 40% of rural Pakistani young women seek health care during their first pregnancy. Contraceptive use is also low among married young men and women, although more than one-half of married women intend to use some form of contraception in the future.

YOUTH HEALTH NEWS

Dating violence common among teens in US
(Report; Global | North America)
18 May 2006
Reuters
Related Report: Physical dating violence among high school students: United States, 2003
Nearly 1 out of 11 US high school students is subjected to physical violence from their boyfriend or girlfriend each year, the results of a nationwide survey suggest. Boys are just as likely as girls to be the victim of such violence, according to a report in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nearly 15,000 students from 158 schools answered the question, "During the past 12 months, did your boyfriend or girlfriend ever hit, slap, or physically hurt you on purpose?" Their responses showed that slightly more boys than girls (8.9% of boys and 8.8% of girls) reported physical victimization.

Slum children shun safe sex: survey
(News Article; Global | Asia)
21 May 2006
The Times of India
A survey of 100 adolescents from slums in Pune, India, has revealed a high degree of unprotected sex and disturbing statistics on the spread of HIV infection.

Safe sex messages in schools failing
(News Article; Global | Central America and the Caribbean)
19 May 2006
Dominican Today
Related Abstract; subscription needed for full text: HIV prevention in Mexican schools: prospective randomised evaluation of intervention
Better strategies are needed to prevent unwanted pregnancies, HIV, and other STDs because safe sex messages in schools are not changing risky behavior, researchers in Mexico said recently.

Children as young as 12 feel pressure to have sex
(Feature Article; Global | Europe)
22 May 2006
Times Online
Children lack the knowledge and confidence to say no to sex or to keep themselves safe as they come under pressure from their peers to experiment, according to the charity ChildLine. Rather than wait until they are emotionally prepared for sex, children as young as 12 are turning to alcohol to help to get them through losing their virginity. Most are too embarrassed, confused, drunk or illinformed to think about the risks of pregnancy or sexually transmitted infections, so contraception is barely even considered, a charity report says.

Southern Africa: little done to counter rising abuse of schoolgirls
(Feature Article; Global | Sub-Saharan Africa)
17 May 2006
Integrated Regional Information Networks
Violence against girls in Southern African schools is steadily rising, but not enough is being done to prevent and censure abuse in educational institutions, according to delegates at a regional conference in the Zimbabwean capital, Harare.

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Volume 6, Number 2022 May 2006