Zambian youth in early sex romps – Report

By BUUMBA CHIMBULU

EARLY sexual debut among adolescents and young adults remains a persistent challenge in Zambia, according to the newly released 2024 Zambia Demographic and Health Survey (2024 ZDHS).
The data shows that despite improvements in other health and social indicators, young Zambians continue to initiate sexual activity well before marriage, with long-term implications for reproductive health, education and gender equality.
The survey reveals that the median age at first sexual intercourse for women is 16.6 years, occurring three years earlier than the median age at first marriage (19.6 years).
Among men, the median age at first sex is 18.2 years, which is 6.3 years before the median age at first marriage (24.5 years).
These gaps highlight a consistent pattern of premarital sexual activity across age groups and genders.
Historical trends show that early sexual debut has not significantly declined, especially for women.
The proportion of women aged 25–49 who had their first sexual intercourse by age 18 fell from 71 percent in 1992 to 58 percent in 2013–14, but later rose again to 69 percent in 2018 and has remained relatively stable at 68 percent in 2024. Among men, early sexual debut declined more sharply – from 65 percent in 1996 to 43 percent in 2018 – but has since increased to 48 percent in 2024.
Health experts say that although the country has made strides in expanding reproductive health services, the continued prevalence of early sexual activity suggests broader socio-cultural dynamics at play, including limited access to comprehensive sexuality education, economic pressures, and peer influences.
The 2024 ZDHS also reports that 53 percent of women aged 15–49 and 56 percent of men in the same age group had sexual intercourse within the four weeks preceding the survey, indicating high levels of ongoing sexual activity across reproductive age groups.
At the same time, 13 percent of women and 14 percent of men reported never having had sex.
Advocates warn that early sexual initiation increases risks of teenage pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections and school dropouts, particularly for girls.
They argue that strengthened interventions – such as age-appropriate sexuality education, community engagement, and expansion of youth-friendly health services – are essential to curb early sexual debut and support healthier transitions into adulthood.