NZ Parliamentarians’ focus on youth pregnancy

NEWS RELEASE

New Zealand Parliamentarians’ efforts align with World Population Day’s focus on Adolescent Pregnancy

Thursday 11 July 2013

Today is World Population Day. This year’s theme of adolescent pregnancy aligns closely with the efforts of the New Zealand Parliamentarians’ Group on Population and Development (NZPPD).

Earlier this year two NZPPD members travelled to Solomon Islands to discuss adolescent sexual and reproductive health and rights with Solomon Island parliamentarians, key officials and civil society representatives. This visit will be replicated in Kiribati next month.

The aim of the visits is to share the recommendations of a report: ‘Pacific Youth: Their Rights, Our Future’. The report is based on the findings of the NZPPD Open Hearing on Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights in the Pacific, held in Wellington in June 2012. Adolescent pregnancy is one of the major issues addressed in the report.

Around the world, about 16 million girls aged 15-19 give birth each year; complications from pregnancy and child birth are the leading cause of death among girls in this age group.

Adolescent pregnancy in the Pacific is a significant issue influenced by a range of contributing factors.

·         The Pacific has a very young population with 56% of the population under the age of 24.
·         In Kiribati 73% of males and 49% of females are sexually active by the age of 20.
·         Only 30% of young people in Solomon Islands attend secondary school (when lessons on sexual health take place), leaving 70% of adolescents with a lack of SRHR information
·         Fewer than 20% of girls and 50% of boys aged 15 -19 in the Pacific report having ever used a modern method of contraception (including condoms).

During discussions with their Pacific counterparts, NZPPD members are working to raise a number of issues including the need for comprehensive sexuality education and access to adolescent-friendly sexual and reproductive health services.

Vice Chair of NZPPD Hon Maryan Street took part in the visit to Solomon Islands and commented on the theme for this year’s World Population Day:

“Becoming pregnant as an adolescent has an on-going impact on a young woman’s life and her choices. It can affect her ability to find employment and to complete her education. While there is no law excluding young women from attending school after becoming pregnant or giving birth, it seems to be a common practice. While in Solomon Islands we talked with MPs about the need to revisit policies to ensure girls and their partners are not discriminated against by educational institutions due to pregnancy.”

Background:

The NZPPD is cross - party, with currently 45 members representing just fewer than 40% of all New Zealand MPs. The group has provided a forum for New Zealand parliamentarians to engage and act on international population and development issues since 1998. The NZPPD has a particular focus on the Pacific region, where the population and development challenges remain great. Family Planning International houses the NZPPD Secretariat.

This visits to Solomon Islands and Kiribati are being funded through an advocacy grant from the Asia Pacific Alliance (APA) for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, a regional member based network based in Bangkok.  Family Planning International, the NZPPD secretariat and an APA member, has been responsible for coordinating consultations and organizing all logistics.  Other APA New Zealand members in New Zealand include NZ AIDS Foundation and Positive Women, who are secondary partners in this initiative. 

ENDS

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