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World Population Day: Stakeholders kick against early marriage

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Adolescent pregnancy has been identified as a major set-back to the one positive development of young female children.

Stakeholders, who made this observation at different forum to mark the 2013 World Population Day, called for actions to improve adolescent sexual and reproductive health education.

United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, in his message expressed the need to devote attention and resources to the education, health and well being of adolescent girls for sustainable positive change in the society.

“On this World Population Day, let us pledge to support adolescent girls to realize their potential and contribute to our shared future,” he said.

Globally, about 16 million girls under 18 years give birth each year and 3.2 million undergo unsafe abortions.

In Nigeria, young people contribute more than 60% of unsafe abortions annually, according to a study by Campaign Against Unwanted Pregnancy (CAUP) in 2006.

In a statement to mark the event, the Executive Director of United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, revealed that complications from pregnancy and child birth were the leading cause of death among girls aged 15-19 in developing countries.

These complications, he said, may cause obstetric fistula, illness, injury and death, adding that several social, cultural and economic factors were responsible for adolescent pregnancy.

Osotimehin further disclosed that the 2005 National HIV/AIDS and Reproductive Health Survey showed that 73% of girls between the ages of 13 and 19 years were married in the North-Eastern States of Nigeria.

“The number of married adolescents in North West and North East Nigeria make up about 42% of the total number of Nigerian married adolescents aged 15 – 19, contributing an estimated 71% of the annual births by Nigerians in the 15 – 19 age group.

“Adolescent pregnancy is not just a health issue, it is a development issue. It is deeply rooted in poverty, gender inequality, violence, child and forced marriage, power imbalances between adolescent girls and their male partners, lack of education, and the failure of systems and institutions to protect their rights”, the statement added.

Programme Director, Development Communications (DevComs) Network, Mr. Akin Jimoh in his message observed that young girls remain vulnerable to sexual violence when they are ignorant of their rights.

According to him, “there is a need to empower young girls with adequate information about their health and well-being”.

To address the challenges posed by adolescent pregnancy, the Nigerian Urban Reproductive Health Initiative (NURHI) in a statement recommend access to sexual and reproductive health information, provision of youth–friendly health services, and participation of young people in all decision making processes and programming.