Providing women with the information they need to make informed choices on their sexual health is essential to their empowerment.
This was according to Simoné van Eeden, keynote speaker at a recent open meeting held at Nerina women’s residence at Stellenbosch University (SU), to discuss important topics on women’s health. Van Eeden is also project manager of critical engagement at Nerina.
The meeting was held on 9 August for all SU women’s residences, said Lameez Hendricks, head of Nerina’s critical engagement team who organised the meeting.
“Young adolescent women and university level women who are sexually active are not well informed. Even though they are at university, they’ve come with a deficit,” stated Dr Chivaugn Gordon, head of obstetrics and gynaecology undergraduate education at the University of Cape Town, in an interview with SMF News.
An open discussion on women’s health was held on 9 August at Nerina women’s residence at Stellenbosch University, to discuss sustainable sanitary products, the importance of the Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, and contraceptive methods. The discussion was attended by more than 20 people, stated Lameez Hendricks, head of Nerina’s critical engagement team who organised the meeting. Pictured above is Simoné van Eeden, keynote speaker at the discussion. PHOTO: Emma Solomon
Combating ignorance
The open discussion and informational evening covered topics from sustainable sanitary products, the importance of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, and contraceptive methods, stated Hendricks.
Open conversations with other women is a way to combat the lack of knowledge women have about their sexual health, “simply by speaking to one another you gain so much more information”, stated Van Eeden.
Meetings such as this allow women to learn through the lived experiences of others, stated Van Eeden.
Nerina leadership plans to collaborate with other SU residence critical engagement groups to host a larger conversation on women’s health on 30 August, stated Van Eeden.
“I do not think women have easily accessible information about their own bodies in South Africa,” stated Dr Chivaugn Gordon, head of obstetrics & gynaecology undergraduate education at University of Cape Town. The human papillomavirus (HPV) is the leading cause of cervical cancer in South Africa, stated Gordon. GRAPHIC: Emma Solomon
Gaps in education
“By and large the education that women are getting around sexual health and contraception is extremely lacking,” stated Gordon.
Female sexual health is supposed to be covered in school subjects such as life orientation, however “the knowledge taught is really quite poor, and I think it’s because people are still looking at it from a very conservative point of view”, said Gordon.
“We don’t always have the privilege of talking to our parents. So, having this conversation in res[idences] allows us to speak with a much larger community,” stated Van Eeden.
It is important that women have a safe space to discuss topics like womens’ health, stated Simoné van Eeden, project manager of critical engagement group at Nerina women’s residence at a meeting discussing women’s health and empowerment. GRAPHIC: Supplied/Nerina Residence