Adolescents have been urged to understand their bodies, set personal boundaries and make informed decisions capable of protecting their health and shaping their future.

The call was made by a sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) advocate, Oluwayemisi Fagboro, while speaking at the maiden Wise Up Conference for Adolescents organised by Zoe Choosers Initiative in Ilorin, Kwara State.

The conference brought together 120 students selected from 20 schools in the Ilorin metropolis for sessions on sexual and reproductive health, personal hygiene, body autonomy, sexual harassment and responsible decision-making.

Fagboro said SRHR education should go beyond physical health to include life skills such as communication, self-esteem, confidence, leadership and decision-making.

She encouraged the adolescents to understand the physical changes associated with puberty, including menstruation, wet dreams, body hair, breast development and changes in voice.

She stressed the importance of personal hygiene.

The advocate also urged participants to recognise their right to set boundaries, particularly when confronted with inappropriate sexual advances from older people.

She said adolescents should understand the risks associated with sexual activity, including sexually transmitted infections such as HPV, gonorrhoea, chlamydia and HIV.

She added that abstinence completely prevents sexual transmission of STIs.

Fagboro told the participants: "Be selfish with your sexual organs. No is a full sentence. Be assertive. Don't say yes when your actions say no or no when your actions say yes."

Founder of Zoe Choosers Initiative, Abimbola Pelumi-Olawole, said the conference was organised as part of the organisation's Compass sex education programme, which takes sexual health education to schools.

She said the organisers decided to bring students from different schools together so they could learn from facilitators and people who had experienced challenges similar to those confronting adolescents.

Pelumi-Olawole said the central message was that the teenagers were valuable and capable of making wise decisions, stressing that the lessons were intended to help them build stronger futures.

She said the organisation had received personal accounts from students during its school outreaches, adding that some participants also approached the organisers after the conference to discuss challenges they were facing.

Pelumi-Olawole, who is also the convener of the event, said the Initiative would continue its Compass programme in schools and extend its activities into communities in Ilorin to reach girls who were not in school.

She added that the organisation planned to hold the second edition of the Wise Up Conference next year.

One of the participants, Elijah Jesuto, said he learnt about the health risks associated with unsafe sexual relationships and the need for teenagers to be cautious about their sexual health.

Jesuto also said the programme taught him to recognise inappropriate touching and report such incidents to trusted adults.

A female participant, Fidelis Angel, said the sessions taught her how to resist pressure, make informed decisions and speak out against sexual harassment.

She said teenagers experiencing harassment should seek help from parents, teachers or other trusted adults.

A teacher who attended with six students, Suleiman Ridwan, thanked the organisers of the programme. He called for more orientation for boys, saying they also needed guidance on sexual health, responsible behaviour and the consequences of their choices.

According to him, the lessons would complement what the students had learnt in school and help them make conscious decisions as they grow into adulthood.