CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1. Conclusion
This study aims to identify the major sources of sexual information for young people in the
Rwandan rural areas, specifically in the district of Impala. To that end, the study investigates
the sources and the content of sexual information available to the youth, as well as how the
youth interpret it. The data for this research were collected using in-depth interviews among 20
young men and women and 20 key informants including parents, teachers, community and
church leaders.
This study has been motivated by the fact that sexual education programme contributes to
significant positive knowledge and change of attitudes among people especially the youth.
Sexual education assists young people in gaining a positive view of sexuality, provides them
with information and skills about taking care of their sexual health, and help them make sound
decisions regarding their lives. The lack of this education may lead young people to suffer
from many sexual related problems such as STDs, HIV/AIDS, unforeseen sexual behaviour
(early sexual intercourse and unintended pregnancies).
Considering on the one hand the fact that many sexual related problems such STDs, HIV/AIDS
and early pregnancies are prevalent in the sub-Saharan Africa, and on the other hand, the lack
of sufficient studies on sexual education in Rwanda, especially in Impala district it seemed a
window of opportunity to me. Thus, I focused on the sources and content of sexual education
available to youth in Impala as well as the way those youths interpret such information.
The study used a theoretical framework including the primary socialization theory, the
individual differences theory, the social categories theory, as well as the information
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consistency and desired action model. Based on these theories I formulated sets of questions
directed to respondents, that allowed to test how applicable was each of them to the case of
Impala district.
Thereafter, the study has found that schools/teachers, peers, churches, community meetings,
anti-AIDS clubs and parents are the main sources of sexual information available to youth in
the district of Impala. However, it was found that the level of education contributes to
determine the predominance of some sources over others. In fact, the study revealed that
schools (exclusively) and peers are the primary source of sexual information available to
educated youths, while community meetings and churches are the primary source of sexual
information for uneducated youths though parents were also mentioned by the latter as
important source. This is partly explained by the “proximity rule” which implies that pupils are
generally more present at school than elsewhere; while uneducated youths are generally closer
to parents (at home) and seem to have more time to participate in church activities and
community meetings.
Nonetheless, although parents were cited mainly by uneducated youths as a source of sexual
information, it has emerged from this study that even for this category (uneducated youth)
parents are not a primary sexual socialisation agents in Impala district. The reason is that some
parents still consider sexual matters as taboo, others feel they are not enough knowledgeable to
discuss some issues such as HIV/AIDS and STIs. Similarly, some children consider their
parents’ ideas as outdated or as senseless and prefer not to hear from their teachings.
The study tested the theory of the primary socialisation, and found that it backed the argument
above by considering schools, peers and parents as the primary sexual socialisation agents.
However, findings demonstrated that the later theory is applicable only partially to Impala. The
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reason was that parents were not cited neither by educated or uneducated youth as their
primary source of information. It can therefore be deduced that such a theory may not be
entirely applicable to the societies of developing countries where for different reasons, a
number of children have not yet access to school or have left it early; and where various factors
such armed conflicts, diseases have caused orphaned a number of children, while others were
separated from their parents. In the same line, in developing societies, because of
predominance of traditional beliefs and lack of formal education, many parents still consider
sexual matters as taboo and keep on silencing such topics during their interaction with their
children.
As regards the message given by the above sources of sexual information, it was found that
HIV/AIDS and STIs, menstrual periods, wet dreams, reproductive health, sexual organs, body
change, sexual intercourse experience, abstinence, and gender roles are the most discussed
topics. In addition, the study noted that the topics discussed and the message spread are not
always the same for all sources of sexual information. For example, it was revealed that parents
(except educated ones) seem to restrict their message to menstrual periods, wet dreams, gender
roles and abstinence, while schools, community meetings and radio, in addition to the above
topics, seem to address HIV/AIDS and STIs, reproductive health, condom use, etc.
In the same vein, it was found that church teachings seem to promote abstinence and condemn
condom use as a way of fighting HIV/AIDS and STIs as well as premarital/extramarital sexual
encounters, while other sources advise condom use to those who fail to abstain from such
sexual relations. Subsequently, the study noted an inconsistency in the message provided by
churches on the one hand and school, community meetings and radio on the other hand, as far
as condom use is concerned. This study has therefore argued that such inconsistency is likely
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to hinder the process of behaviour change among youths because, the information consistency
and desired action model suggests “in case that there is inconsistency in the information
supplied, the utilisation of that information by the receiver becomes more difficult and affect
the decision-making accordingly”.
Following the interpretation by youth in connection with the messages they receive from
different sources available to them, the study revealed that their interpretation differs from one
individual to another or from one group to another. Young Protestants for instance seemed well
disposed to abstain from sex until marriage than other youths from other beliefs. As regards to
sex, young women are very determinated to practice sexual information compared to young
men. This finding show that the individual differences theory and social categories theory are
totally applicable in this study as it has been found that even if youths of Impala district have
received the same message, they reacted differently to it. According to those theories, beliefs,
sex, educational level, religiosity and social group determine the way people react on the
message they receive.
Moreover, the study has assessed different factors that constitute obstacles to the transmission
of sexual information to youth in Impala district. The Rwandan culture, lack of information
and time by parents, poor material conditions, and generation clash emerged as major obstacles
to the sexual education of youths. In fact, it was noted that many parents are still bound by
traditional beliefs which consider sexual matters as taboo and which can not therefore be
discussed between parents and children. In addition, a number of illiterate parents do not have
much knowledge of sexual issues and therefore do not have much to share with their children
with regard to sex education. Furthermore, some educators have not relevant material from
which they can draw relevant information to give to the youths and, subsequently, they abstain
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from giving sexual information or they give inaccurate information. Moreover, it was revealed
that some children consider that their parents’ advice on sexual issues are outdated and prefer
to listen to sources which encourage them to involve in sexual activities.
Lastly, from the issues raised by the findings, the study formulated a number of
recommendations as follows:
5.2. Recommendations
•
Youth may take responsibility of their safe life and be careful for all dangers which
may harm it.
•
They may also look at choosing the good groups of peers and develop their critical
skills in order to assume their bahaviour.
•
As the findings have shown, some youth of Impala district mistrust their parents and
peers’ information and it seems essential to investigate and address this issue.
•
In this context, the emphasis on the use of church, school and other sources mentioned
above in this study in the transmission of sexual information might be highly
appropriate.
•
Parents should abandon their beliefs that view sexual issues as taboo in order to feel
comfortable and create the atmosphere of trust between them and their children when
discussing sexual issues because children highly need their support.
•
Based on the fact that some parents do not provide sexual education to the youth
because of ignorance in this matter, the government may implement the training in
sexual education for parents in each local entity and then parents will be more involved
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in sexual education of youth by inculcating in them the moral values so that they can
develop safe sex behaviour.
•
Parents should also be opened to discussions on sexual issues with their children at
early age as they are considered to be the primary educators of children before the latter
reach school.
•
This study highlighted the absence of time for some parents because of living
conditions that are hard in Impala district. Those parents work far from home and come
back later tired. The government therefore, should increase its efforts in the alleviation
of poverty by creating many opportunities so that parents will find job near home and
find time to educate their children.
•
The government needs to engage its efforts in increasing sexual discussions in cells,
sectors, and in districts, reinforcing permanently written newspapers on sex matter in
order to inform people who are able to read. In addition, the government may appoint in
every sector a staff of youth reproduction and insist on adding this subject in school
program, church and civil society.
•
A combined effort from the mass media, schools, religious bodies, peers education
program and so forth is also useful in educating and counseling youth about sexual
matters.
5.3. Proposals for further research
The sexual education of youths is a complex subject that requires many studies and many
interventions for it to be understood. Few studies like mine have tried to provide some
understanding on sexual education in Impala district, but there is a lot of that still need to be
done:
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1. Further research may be conducted on the contribution of sexual education to the behaviour
change as that is considered to be instrumental in reducing the number of unwanted
pregnancies as far as the risks to HIV/AIDS are concerned.
2. A study of obstacles to sexual behaviour change may be conducted as it has been found by
many scholars that despite the availability of information people do not always change their
behaviour.
3. There is also a need for a comparative study of sources of sexual information of youth in
rural and urban areas, as well as a study of sexual knowledge and attitudes of young female
orphans in Rwanda and that of sexual life of young female orphans.
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