Motherhood in Childhood

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t Girls in Rajasthan, India learning to read. © Mark Tuschman/ Educate Girls India violence, regardless of the perpetrator (Center for Reproductive Rights, 2009). The ICPD Programme of Action recognizes that one of the cornerstones of population and development-related programmes is eliminating all forms of violence against women, including sexual abuse and violence against children and adolescents (ICPD, Principles 4 and 11). School, peers, partners School The longer girls stay in school, the more likely they are to use contraception and prevent pregnancy and the less likely they are to marry young (Lloyd, 2006; UNICEF, 2006; Lloyd and Young, 2009). Girls who are not in school are more likely to get pregnant than those remaining in school, whether or not they are married. The Secretariat of the 65th World Health Assembly in 2012 called education “a major protective factor for early pregnancy: the more years of schooling the fewer early pregnancies,” adding that “birth rates among women with low education are higher than those with secondary or tertiary education.” While the correlation between educational attainment and lower rates of adolescent pregnancy is well documented, the direction of causality and the sequencing are still the subject of some debate, as noted in the previous chapter. In many countries, early school-leaving is attributed to adolescent pregnancy; however, pregnancy and early marriage are more likely to be consequences rather than causes of early school leaving. Once girls have left school, pregnancy and/or marriage are likely to follow in short order (Lloyd and Young, 2009). Educational attainment and sexual and reproductive transitions are closely related in that a pregnancy or an early marriage can derail a girl’s schooling. As boys typically marry later than girls and do not face the same risks and responsibilities associated with pregnancy, their sexual maturation and behaviour do not have the potential to interfere with their school progress in the same way (Lloyd and Young, 2009). A 2012 study provides evidence that interventions that encourage school attendance are effective in reducing overall adolescent fertility, making a case for expanding educational opportunities for girls and creating incentives for school continuation (McQueston et al., 2012). Enabling or encouraging girls to attend 42 CHAPTER 3: PRESSURES FROM MANY DIRECTIONS
and stay in school, however, may require breaking down economic barriers to access education by, for example, waiving fees for girls from poorer households. It may also require mitigating risks to girls’ health and safety by, for example, adequately protecting girls from sexual abuse or violence in school and on their way to and from school, and providing a culturally sensitive school environment. “I started living with my partner at age 14. My plans were to have a stable relationship, to keep on with school and to become a professional. However I got pregnant at 15. At first I didn’t even know how to take care of a newborn. I had to quit school.” Marcela, 18, El Salvador Age-appropriate, comprehensive sexuality education Few young people receive adequate preparation for their sexual and reproductive lives. This leaves them potentially vulnerable to coercion, abuse and exploitation, unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV. Many young people approach adulthood faced with conflicting and inaccurate information and messages about sexuality. This is often exacerbated by embarrassment, silence and disapproval of open discussion of sexual matters by adults, including parents and teachers, at a time when it is most needed. In many instances, adolescents have inaccurate or incomplete information about sexuality, reproduction and contraception (Presler-Marshall and Jones, 2012). A study in Uganda, for example, found that one in three adolescent males and one in two females did not know that condoms should be used only once (Presler-Marshall and Jones, 2012; Bankole et al., 2007). A study in Central America found that one in three adolescents did not know a pregnancy could occur the first time a girl had sex (Presler-Marshall and Jones, 2012; Remez et al., 2008). And a study in one area in Ethiopia showed that although nearly all adolescents knew that unprotected sex could result in HIV infection, less than half realized it could also result in pregnancy (Presler- Marshall and Jones, 2012; Beta Development Consulting, 2012). Comprehensive sexuality education is an age-appropriate, culturally relevant approach to teaching about sexuality and relationships by providing scientifically accurate, realistic, non-judgmental information. Sexuality education provides opportunities to explore one’s own values and attitudes and to build decision-making, communication and riskreduction skills. The Programme of Action of the ICPD recognized that providing adolescents with information is the first step towards reducing adolescent pregnancies and unsafe abortions and empowering adolescents to make THE STATE OF WORLD POPULATION 2013 43
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Motherhood in Childhood Facing the
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state of world population 2013 Moth
Page 5 and 6: to health. Conversely, a girl who i
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Page 15 and 16: 1 A global challenge Every year in
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Page 25 and 26: A UNFPA review of four countries fo
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• Registering all births and marr
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not address social norms risk treat
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Towards empowered adolescent girls
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Indicators Monitoring ICPD goals: s
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Monitoring Monitoring ICPD ICPD Goa
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Monitoring ICPD Goals Demographic -
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Monitoring ICPD Goals - Selected In
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Bibliography Abdella A. et al. 2013
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Delivering a world where every preg
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