Fiji’s adolescent birth rates until 2010 were 31 per 1000 girls between 15 to 19 according to the United Nations Population Funds’ annual report.
During his address at the launch, Minister for Health Dr Neil Sharma said in 2010, Lautoka Hospital alone saw 328 children born to teenage mothers, the bulk of whom were between 18 to 19 years old.
While the phenomenon is linked to violence against women and girls, access to contraceptives still remain a pressing issue.
While no figures for contraceptive prevalence in Fiji were in the report, according to Sharma, it is around 30 percent.
Students of Jai Narayan Secondary School present at the event say while the recently introduced Family Life Education programme in schools is comprehensive, access to contraceptives remains difficult for young people to access.
Today was national launch of the report, this year focusing on adolescent pregnancy, was celebrated alongside the accompanying Pacific Youth supplement “I am not a lost cause!”.
Meanwhile, work continues to address the issue.
According to Sharma, the Ministry of Health will continue with its social media outreach as well as continue to train peer educators.
The Minister of Social Welfare, Women and Poverty Alleviation Dr Jiko Luveni also present at the launch said the women’s resource centers will also act as outlets for sexual and reproductive health and rights information and services as part of a collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund.
Story by: Sian Rolls