SAVE the Children, a prominent child rights organization has expressed deep concern over a sharp 35% increase in pregnancies among children aged 10-14 in the Philippines. Urging collaborative action from families and government authorities, the organization emphasizes the critical need for educating children about their rights and reproductive health.
According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), there were 3,135 reported cases of adolescent pregnancies among young girls in 2022, marking a significant rise from the 2,320 cases recorded in 2021. This alarming trend has been observed since 2017, with the Philippines maintaining one of the highest rates of teenage pregnancies in Asia.
As International Women’s Day approaches, Save the Children Philippines aims to shine a spotlight on the issue of early and unintended pregnancies among very young girls. Shebana Alqaseer, Save the Children’s Technical Adviser for Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, stresses the urgent need for comprehensive access to sexual and reproductive health information and services. Alqaseer calls for widespread awareness campaigns and enhanced health systems to protect the well-being of children, alongside encouraging parents to engage in open discussions with their children about sexuality and reproductive health.
Save the Children Philippines is actively involved in initiatives like the Healthy, Empowered, and Responsible Teens (HEART to Heart) program, operating across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. Through this program, mothers and caregivers are equipped with the necessary tools to communicate effectively with adolescent children regarding sexuality and reproductive health.
One mother, Josie from Eastern Visayas, recounts her daughter’s traumatic experience and emphasizes the importance of positive parenting. Josie regrets not participating in the HEART to Heart program sooner, acknowledging its potential to provide better support and empowerment to her daughter during difficult times.
Josie’s story underscores the significant impact of proactive parental engagement and community programs in safeguarding the well-being and resilience of adolescent girls. Save the Children Philippines has organized Positive Parenting workshops as part of its ADDVOICE initiative, engaging hundreds of parents and caregivers like Josie.
The surge in adolescent pregnancies is recognized as a national issue, stemming from various biological, social, and cultural factors. These include early sexual debut, limited access to comprehensive sex education, inadequate communication between parents and adolescents, lack of access to family planning services, cultural norms promoting early unions, and the absence of adolescent sexuality and reproductive health policies and their effective implementation, as highlighted by Save the Children Philippines. (PR)
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