Young people should be safeguarded from sexual dysfunction, exploitation and abuse but their sexual expression of those who sexual activity forms part of their everyday life should be legitimised, the Department of Youth and Community Studies said.

In a statement this afternoon, it notes that sexual readiness occurred at different ages and what was considered as the appropriate age for sexual initiation differed from one adolescent to another.

“Whereas there are 16-year old teenagers who are capable of sound decision-making, which affirms their sexual well-being, there are others who do not yet understand the implications that the sexual acts they might give consent to, could have on their life,” it noted.

The department said it supported an increase in the provision of sexuality and relationship education in schools and educational campaigns aimed for young people and parents, which tackled issues about the positive values of sexuality, the factors influencing the onset of sexual activity, contraception, infectious diseases related to sexual activity, unplanned pregnancies and life as a single parent.

It expressed concern that lonely 47.4 per cent of the 16-18 year old surveyed by the Ministry of Health in 2012 knew what a genitourinary clinic was.

“Young people have the right to be informed. 87.7 per cent of the same age group in the same study consider the provision of advice on relationships through sexual health services as either very important or quite important.

“A body of research repeatedly shows that the provision and quality of sex education together with access to contraception lower pregnancy rates. Countries with lower ages of legal sexual consent could have lower pregnancy rates, due in part to more rigorous and higher standards for sex education and greater contraception access,” the department said.