🇵🇭Philippines' teenage pregnancy the highest in Asia | Al Jazeera English
Summary
TLDRTeenage pregnancy rates in the Philippines have surged, contrasting the global decline, with the UN citing government cuts and lack of sex education as contributing factors. Vanessa, a 20-year-old mother of three, exemplifies the issue, having received no family planning advice or contraception. Despite the 2012 reproductive health law, which mandates sex education and access to contraception, budget cuts hinder progress. The Philippines, with a population over 100 million, grapples with addressing this escalating problem, with the government deferring action until after the May elections.
Takeaways
- 📉 Teenage pregnancy rates have generally declined worldwide over the past two decades, except in the Philippines.
- 🏛 Recent government cuts in the Philippines are exacerbating the issue of teenage pregnancies.
- 👶 Vanessa, a 20-year-old from a low-income family, is a mother of three due to lack of family planning advice and contraception.
- 📊 The Philippines tops the list of Asian countries with the highest number of teenage pregnancies, according to the UN.
- 🔢 Multiple partners and low condom use are cited as factors for the increase in birth rates among teenagers.
- 👩👧👦 One in ten young Filipino women aged 15 to 19 is already a mother, double the rate of a decade ago.
- 🏫 In 2012, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of implementing the reproductive health law, providing low-income earners with family planning services and free contraception.
- 🏛 Despite Catholic Church opposition, public surveys suggest widespread support for family planning in the Philippines.
- 💰 A significant budget for family planning initiatives has been reduced, impacting efforts to address teenage pregnancies.
- 👦👧 There is a call for sex education programs in schools that are equally accessible for both boys and girls.
- 🌐 The Philippine government is looking to private donors for funds for contraception amid a growing population and persistent issue of teenage pregnancies.
Q & A
What is the trend in teenage pregnancy rates globally over the last two decades according to the UN?
-The trend in teenage pregnancy rates has been a decline over the last two decades globally, with the exception of the Philippines.
What challenges have been faced by Vanessa, a 20-year-old mother of three from a low-income family in the Philippines?
-Vanessa, coming from a low-income family, was not provided with family planning advice or offered contraception methods, leading to multiple pregnancies from unsafe sex.
What was the significant ruling by the Supreme Court of the Philippines in 2012 related to reproductive health?
-In 2012, the Supreme Court ruled that it was constitutional to implement the reproductive health law, which granted low-income earners the right to family planning services and free contraception and mandated sex education in schools.
How does the influence of the Catholic Church affect the implementation of reproductive health and sex education in the Philippines?
-Despite the Catholic Church's opposition to reproductive health laws and sex education, the wider public supports family planning, and the law was upheld by the Supreme Court.
What is the current situation regarding the budget for family planning initiatives in the Philippines?
-The budget of over 42 million dollars earmarked for family planning initiatives has been cut back, which is concerning to experts who advocate for a new approach to sex education.
What is the current teenage pregnancy rate among young Filipino women aged 15 to 19, and how does it compare to the rate from ten years ago?
-One in ten young Filipino women in the 15 to 19 age range is already a mother, which is twice the rate of ten years ago.
What are the two main factors contributing to the increase in birth rates among teenagers in the Philippines, as mentioned in the UN report?
-The two main factors contributing to the increase in birth rates are multiple partners and low condom use among teenagers.
How does the script suggest addressing the issue of teenage pregnancy in the Philippines?
-The script suggests that sex education programs should be equally available for both boys and girls in schools to address the issue of teenage pregnancy.
What is the current population of the Philippines, and how does the government plan to provide better access to family planning?
-The population of the Philippines is now over a hundred million. The government is trying to find ways to provide better access to family planning but is looking to private donors for funds for contraception.
What is the stance of the government regarding the practical steps to address the issue of teenage pregnancy, and when will they address it again?
-The government acknowledges the issue but seems hesitant to take practical steps. They have stated that they will address the matter again after the election in May.
What does Vanessa hope for her children regarding education and family planning information?
-Vanessa wants to ensure her children get a good education and, when the time comes, the best family planning information.
Outlines
🌏 Rising Teen Pregnancy in the Philippines
The script discusses the alarming rise in teenage pregnancy rates in the Philippines, contrasting it with the global trend of decline over the past two decades. Despite the country's progressive reproductive health law implemented in 2012, recent government budget cuts have hampered access to family planning services and contraception. The narrative is personalized through Vanessa's story, a 20-year-old mother of three from a low-income family, who lacked access to family planning advice and contraception. The United Nations Population Fund report places the Philippines at the top of the list for teenage pregnancies in Asia, attributing factors such as multiple partners and low condom use to the surge. The report also highlights the significant impact of sex education, or the lack thereof, on these rates, emphasizing the need for a more inclusive and comprehensive approach that involves both boys and girls.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Teenage Pregnancy
💡UN Reports
💡Family Planning
💡Contraception
💡Reproductive Health Law
💡Sex Education
💡Catholic Church
💡Low-Income Earners
💡Budget Cuts
💡Gender Equality
💡Population Growth
Highlights
Teenage pregnancy rates have declined globally but not in the Philippines, according to the UN.
Government cuts in the Philippines are exacerbating the teenage pregnancy situation.
Vanessa, a 20-year-old mother of three from a low-income family, did not receive family planning advice or contraception.
Vanessa's pregnancy was unexpected, highlighting the lack of awareness and education on safe sex.
The Philippines tops the list of Asian countries with the highest number of teenage pregnancies.
Multiple partners and low condom use are contributing factors to the increased birth rates.
One in ten young Filipino women aged 15 to 19 is already a mother, double the rate from ten years ago.
The 2012 Supreme Court ruling implemented the reproductive health law, providing rights to family planning services and free contraception.
Despite the Catholic Church's opposition, public support for family planning is high in the Philippines.
A budget of over 42 million dollars for family planning initiatives has been cut back.
Experts call for a new approach to sex education in the Philippines.
The pressure of teenage pregnancy is often placed on girls, but it is a shared responsibility.
Sex education programs should be equally available for both boys and girls in schools.
The Philippine population is over a hundred million, and the government is seeking ways to improve family planning access.
Vanessa aims to provide her children with a good education and the best family planning information.
The Philippine government will address the issue of teenage pregnancy after the May elections.
Despite laws being in place, practical steps for addressing teenage pregnancy are lacking in the Philippines.
Transcripts
teenage pregnancy rates across the world
have declined in the last two decades
except in the Philippines according to
the UN and those how ramen reports from
the capital recent government cuts
aren't helping the situation vanessa is
20 years old and a mother of three she
has two boys aged five and four from a
previous partner and a month-old baby
with her current partner from a
low-income family she was not given
family planning advice nor any methods
of contraception offered to her she
never thought that having unsafe sex
would lead to pregnancy my mind this
could happen
my mother just asked me one day why I
was not having my period anymore
she said in jest that it might be
pregnant it turned out I was after a
pregnancy test vanessa is not the only
one a recent United Nations Population
Fund report put the Philippines top of a
list of Asian countries with the
greatest number of teenage pregnancies
multiple partners and low condom use
were given as two factors for the
increase in birth rates the report says
one in ten young Filipino women in the
15 to 19 age range is already a mother
that's twice the rate of ten years ago
in 2012 the Supreme Court ruled that it
was constitutional to implement the
reproductive health law that meant
low-income earners have the right to
family planning services and free
contraception it also meant schools
would have to teach sex education
despite the opposition of the Catholic
Church which has a lot of influence in
the country while 80 percent of
Filipinos are practicing Catholics
surveys suggest that the wider public
supports family planning regardless of
the position of the church a budget of
over 42 million dollars earmarked for
family planning initiatives has been cut
back at a time when experts want to see
a whole new approach to sex education
the pressure is always on the girls
because when we look at teenage
pregnancy this frame does a girl problem
and yet if we look at it it's really
half the girls problem and half a boy
problem so the answer to this is to have
sex education programs that are in
equally for boys and girls in the
schools the population of the
Philippines is now over a hundred
million the government says it's trying
to find ways to provide better access
family planning but we'll look to
private donors for funds for
contraception Vanessa says she wants to
ensure her children get a good education
and eventually when the time comes the
best family planning information - the
question is how will the Philippines
government deal with an issue that is
getting more problematic each year while
the laws are in place it seems no one is
willing to take practical steps the
government says it'll address the matter
again after the election in May Sahil
Raman al Jazeera Manila
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