For Real Choices in Life

Pregnancy changes the life of an adolescent girl drastically. Besides ending opportunities to education, it puts her and her baby’s life at risk. In fact, younger the mother, greater is the risk to the baby. Babies born to mothers under 20 years of age face a 50% higher risk of being still born or dying in the first few weeks versus those born to mothers aged 20-29 in low-and middle-income countries. Infants born to adolescent mothers are also more likely to have low birth weight, which carries the risk of long-term adverse health effects. Complications during pregnancy and childbirth are the second cause of death for 15-19 year-old girls globally. Adolescent pregnancy remains a major contributor to maternal and child mortality, and to the cycle of ill-health and poverty. With little or no access to contraception, young girls lack control over their bodies. According to estimates, one in three deaths related to pregnancy and childbirth could be avoided if all women had access to contraceptive services. Studies have shown that as many as 50% of pregnancies are unplanned, and 25% are unintended. Young women account for a far higher percentage of all 3.6 million unsafe abortions that take place each year than of pregnancies overall. In Pakistan, nongovernmental organisations found child brides in the province of Sindh using rat poison to terminate pregnancies, with fatal consequences at times.

Globally, 370,000 million children are married every day. By 2020, an additional 142 million girls will be married before their 18th birthday. 6 million adolescent pregnancies occur in South Asia-- 90% of them inside marriage. Further, 34% of all unsafe abortions in the Asia Pacific region happen to women below the age of 25. Only 28% of young women between the ages of 15-24 in sub-Saharan Africa had comprehensive knowledge of HIV. These are the women who are twice as likely to be living with HIV as men in the same age group. The highest number of early marriages in the Asia Pacific takes place in India. India has the largest number of young people in the world. Adolescents comprise 21% of India’s population. Even in Thailand, where fertility rates are low, teenage pregnancy is increasing.  

Why do these young girls and women need to suffer or die? Why is talking about sexual and reproductive health still remain a taboo? Why is there always stiff opposition to introducing comprehensive sexuality education in schools?

Nobuko Horibe, UNFPA, Asia and Pacific regional director explained “Sexual and reproductive health and rights are pivotal to young people’s realization of their full potential and their productivity. When young people are healthy and educated, countries can reap a demographic dividend which can help reduce poverty.” Sexuality education and access to services, including contraceptives, were ways to empower girls and progress the movement towards gender equality.

Full article by Swapna Majumdar can be read on theCountercurrent website