Adolescence Sexuality and Fertility in Nigeria

Abstract

Adolescence is a transitional stage of physical, emotional, and cognitive human development occurring before the onset of puberty and ending by adulthood. Sexuality, the expression of interest, orientation, and preference, is a normal part of adolescence. Adolescent sexuality encompasses multiple factors, such as developing intimate partnerships, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, and culture. Adolescent sexuality has changed over the past 50 years, with adolescents now reaching physical maturity earlier and marrying later. Puberty marks the obvious physical development in early to middle adolescence and is seen as the time for potential onset of sexual thoughts and experimentation. Mostly, legislation does not explicitly criminalize consensual sexual conduct between adolescents, and this leaves a gray area to be filled in by social and cultural norms that perceive adolescent sexual conduct negatively. Most state concentrate more on penalty than on initiatives to tackle the structural background of sexual inter course-related harms. Focusing on increasing access to youth friendly services that respect adolescents’ rights to health services and privacy will be important to ensure that adolescents seek and receive these services.