Specific villages to benefit from teen pregnancy prevention programme
The programme to reduce teen pregnancy will be implemented in specific communities in the 10 Administrative Regions by the Childcare and Protection Agency (CPA) together with Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association (GRPA) and Youth Choice, among other Non-Governmental Organisations.
Child Care and Protection Agency Director Ann Greene
These communities have been pin-pointed by the Ministry of Social Protection.
Adolescents between the ages of 15 and 19 are targeted to be informed of the drawbacks of teenage pregnancy and early engagement of sexual activities. They will also be educated on sexual and reproductive health since every teenager that becomes pregnant is at risk for the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and other Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) through unprotected sex.
According to director of CPA Ann Greene, there has been a drastic increase of teen mothers in Guyana and so there is an intention of curbing the issue through the Teen Prevention Pregnancy and Empowerment initiative:
“There is a high pregnancy rate with early teen and it’s one of concern for us because these are very young girls that should still be in school and they are not even of the age of sexual consent according to the law, but yet they are pregnant so there is motherhood in childhood and it’s a serious concern.”
Greene highlighted that CPA will have a final results review after one year of the programme being active to decide on its efficiency: “We want to follow to see the outcome. In fact, we want to see if they will put off early sexual activities, or, if in fact you must have sex, use a condom.”
In a survey conducted in 2013, it was established by the UN Population Fund that 97 out of every 1000 females in the teenage years, give birth and Guyana holds the place for the second highest teen pregnancy cases in Latin America and the Caribbean.
