Adolescent girls’ workshop in Kiribati

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Adolescent girls’ workshop in Kiribati

– Reported, June 19, 2013

A UN joint Statement Accelerating Efforts to Advance the Rights of the Adolescent Girls was signed by the Executive Heads of UNICEF, UNFPA, UNESCO, WHO, UN Women/UNIFEM and ILO. The statement proclaims that The UN will work with governments, civil society, communities, adolescent girls and boys on five strategic areas:

• Educate Adolescent girls

• Improved Adolescent girls’ health

• Keep Adolescent girls free from violence

• Promote Adolescent girl leaders

Count Adolescent girls

Kiribati was selected as one of the UN Champion countries for the global Adolescent Girls’ Initiative (AGI). A champion country is one that will leverage the power of the UN to support the realization of adolescent girls’ rights, especially the most marginalized, through policies, programmes and partnerships in line with the five strategic areas as indicated in the UN joint Statement.

UN Joint Presence Office has been requested by the Global UN Adolescent Girls’ Task Force (AGTF) to develop a concept note. AGTF is co-chaired by UNICEF and UNFPA.

The purpose of the concept note is:

To provide the broad elements for a planning phase of a joint adolescent girls’ initiative
To be used for advocacy and resource mobilization at national and global level

Issues voiced regarding menstrual hygiene
It is a taboo issue and best kept “hidden.” Girls feel shy talking about menstruation with adults. They usually learn about it from friends. Sometimes the mother helps and grandmothers usually explain what to do. Two girls in the group have not yet menstruated and they both learnt about it from their friends. One girl also mentioned a teacher.

Mobility and food intakes are restricted during menstruation. Some girls miss school during the first 2-3 days of each cycle as schools do not have proper toilets water facilities. This affects their performance in school.

Girls use pieces of old cotton cloth (bought from second hand market) as pads and wash them in a secluded place with well water. They usually do not bathe in the ocean when menstruating and use well water for the purpose but now a days some girls do hop into the ocean while they have periods. They sundry the washed pieces of cloth- but “some girls are lazy” as voiced by the participantsand they do not pay attentionto use a sunny, clean place to hung the used, and washed cloths. Some girls burn the used cloths.

Girls mentioned that they do not have any information regarding –how their bodies and minds are growing: adolescent reproductive health issues (puberty, STIs, etc.). All the information they get is mainly from their peers.

Issues voiced regarding food and workload

Girls usually have to assist with the household chores which include washing, cooking, cleaning, collecting firewood and taking care of younger siblings. Boys play while girls toil. Sometimes, some brothers help with collection of firewood. Girls are sad as they miss playing and hanging out with friends. Parents do not distribute workloads to sons. Girls would very much like their brothers to assist more. Men and boys eat first and so “the chicken legs” and the best part and portion of the food is consumed by them. Whatever is left is eaten by the girls and women. Food is not distributed by the mothers – it is the cultural practice that males eat first and everything is served to them first. Girls voiced that they would very much like to eat the chicken legs and good food but even if when they are serving they offer the best portions to the males of the household as that is the norm. One girl said it is normal for a girl to make “sacrifices.”
Issues regarding relationship with boys (as friends?)

There are opportunities to have boys as friends as both girls and boys are members of community youth groups in some villages. Girls said they feel shy regarding considering boys in the “romantic” terms or discussing about boys among themselves (a lot of giggles indicated that this may not possibly be entirely true).

Girls do not like the boys who are rough and bully them. By bullying they meant teasing and sometimes physically pushing/hurting them, or being mean, etc.

Issues regarding sports for girls

All girls voiced that they would like to “win” matches. At the moment there are some sports teams in schools but girls are not coached properly. The sports played here are volley ball and football. Some girls play in those teams. They would like to have strong national girls’ teams. In some schools they play in mixed teams with boys.

Girls would also like to have established girls’ sports groups which can support peer learning on issues beyond sports for example – health, puberty related matters, etc. Only one girl mentioned that she is aware of girl guides operating in Kiribati.

Issues regarding climate change

All girls expressed that they are aware about the climate change issues. Their parents are not so much conscious about it and neither the community members. Girls feel afraid about it. When probed they mentioned that they think the island will sink one day as “the ocean is rising.” They do not know what to do about the climate change issues.

CREDITS.

http://www.southbound.com.my/                    

 

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