Minister for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation, Mereseini Vuniwaqa says the case where a high school student was admitted at CWM Hospital after allegedly giving birth in school last week once again highlights the stigma around premarital sex.
She says as long as society continues to assume that premarital sex is not happening with teenage children, or it is still unacceptable as a social norm, they will continue to hear stories such as this.
It is alleged the student gave birth in school, had cleaned the dead child and kept it in a cabinet.
Vuniwaqa says it is because of the social stigma around it that the girl had to go through 9 months of pregnancy without telling anybody about it.
She says there is help available but teenagers first need to get over that hurdle of fear of not being able to share what they are going through.
Vuniwaqa says if they they reach out, than help is available through NGO's like Medical Services Pacific, Empower Pacific, Fiji Women's Crisis Centre provide psycho-social support, counselling and contraception that is also available.
The Minister says parents also need to be open-minded about this and talk about it openly with their children.
You can call Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre’s Helpline toll-free number 1560 if you need assistance.
You can also call Lifeline Fiji on 1543.
