State of World Population 2012 - UNFPA Haiti

(as stated in the Convention on the Rights ofthe Child), but it remains all too common,particularly in Africa and South Asia, whereapproximately half of all girls are marriedbefore age 18 (Hervish, 2011). Most marriedgirls become pregnant not long after marriage(Godha, Hotchkiss and Gage, 2011).Even though 75 per cent of all births amongadolescents are described as “intended,”(World Health Organization, 2008), suchintentions may be strongly influenced by socialpressures and cultural norms, for example, thata woman prove her fertility to her husbandand his family soon after marriage (Godha,Hotchkiss and Gage, 2011). For unmarriedgirls, pregnancy is far more likely to be unintendedand to end in abortion (World HealthOrganization, 2008).In Latin America, births among adolescentshave declined more rapidly, but remain high,averaging 80 births per 1,000 young womenper year. In a few countries, such as Ecuador,Honduras, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, adolescentbirth rates are above 100 births per 1,000women ages 15 to 19, approaching those ofmost sub-Saharan countries (UNFPA 2011).Adolescent pregnancy and childbearing areOthermuch higher among indigenous groups in thesecountries; these groups tend to be socioeconomicallyand educationally disadvantaged (Lewisand Lockheed, 2007). In the United States,birth rates among adolescents have recently40%declined among all ethnic groups to an historiclow level of 34 births per 1,000 women but are60%still higher than they are in Western Europe(UNFPA, 2010a).Births among adolescents are declining inmost regions, but the rate of decline has slowedin some parts of the world, even reversed insome countries in sub-Saharan Africa wherebirths among adolescents are the highest in theAdolescentsand youth (15-24)Unsafe abortionsamong adolescents and youthpercentage of total unsafe abortions in developingcountries and proportion as a percentage of unsafeabortion BY regionPercentage among adolescents and youth, as apercentage of total unsafe abortions worldwideAdolescentsand youth (15-24)60%40%OtherBreakdown, as a percentage of unsafeabortions (15-24 years) in their region605040302010020-24323125Africa15-19AsiaSource: Shah, I., Ahman, E (2004). “Age Patterns of Unsafe Abortionin Developing Country Regions. Reproductive Health Matters. 12(24Supplement):9–17.2392914Latin Americaand Caribbean654321THE STATE OF WORLD POPULATION 201235