Close X
Thursday, November 28, 2024
ADVT 
International

Philippines Only Country In Asia Where Teen Pregnancy Rising

Darpan News Desk IANS, 07 Jul, 2016 11:45 AM
    MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines is the only Asia-Pacific country where the rate of teen pregnancies rose over the last two decades and the slow decline of its overall fertility rate may deprive the country of the faster economic growth expected in places that have more working-age people than younger and older dependents, the U.N. Population Fund said Thursday.
     
    Girls aged 15 to 19 make up 10 per cent of the country's population of 100 million and one out of 10 of them have already given birth, UNFPA country representative Klaus Beck said.
     
    That fertility rate in that age group is 57 births for every 1,000 girls as of 2013 — higher than rates found by surveys every five years from 1998.
     
    He emphasized the urgency of fully implementing a reproductive health law, investing in quality education and health services for teenage girls, and increasing jobs for youth.
     
    The cost of not finishing high school education over the lifetime of young people would be equivalent to about 1 per cent of the country gross domestic product, he added.
     
     
    The study supported by UNFPA found that "due to the slow reduction in the fertility rate the country may not be able to benefit fully from the demographic dividend," or the balance of its population among children, working-age adults (age 15 to 65) and elderly. It said the window of time to reap economic benefits from the favourable demographics was closing fast.
     
    The Philippines' total fertility rate was 3 births per woman as of 2013, falling at a slow pace of 1.6 per cent per year from 7 births per woman in 1960. But the poorest quintile of the population has a higher fertility rate of 5.2 births per woman as of 2013.
     
    "With the right policies and investments in human capital, countries can empower young people to drive economic and social development and boost per-capita incomes," Beck said.
     
    Economic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia said the administration of new President Rodrigo Duterte will ensure quality education for the youth and full implement of the reproductive health law that guarantees universal access to methods of contraception, sexual education, and maternal care.
     
    The Supreme Court ruled the law was constitutional in 2013 but a year later it banned dispensing of subdermal implants, a popular birth control method because it is long-term and safe for breastfeeding women.
     
     
    Pernia said the government aims to reduce poverty by 1.25 per cent to 1.5 per cent each year, and a big push for that would be to reduce the number of children among the poorest people, citing surveys that show those couples have more children than they wanted.

    MORE International ARTICLES

    Pakistan: Christian Woman Stripped Naked, Assaulted By Four Men

    Pakistan: Christian Woman Stripped Naked, Assaulted By Four Men
    28-year-old Christian woman in Pakistan was allegedly stripped naked and assaulted by four men who barged into her house after her brother eloped with a married Muslim woman

    Pakistan: Christian Woman Stripped Naked, Assaulted By Four Men

    Pakistan Would Not Accept Indian Diktat Over Kashmir: Sartaj Aziz

    Pakistan Would Not Accept Indian Diktat Over Kashmir: Sartaj Aziz
    Talking to media here, Aziz said the security establishment in all democratic countries was taken on board while making a country's foreign policy.

    Pakistan Would Not Accept Indian Diktat Over Kashmir: Sartaj Aziz

    Somali Minister Among 15 Killed In Extremist Attack On Hotel

    Somali Minister Among 15 Killed In Extremist Attack On Hotel
    MOGADISHU, Somalia — A Somali cabinet minister with links to Canada is among the 15 killed in an Islamic extremist attack on a hotel in the capital, police say.

    Somali Minister Among 15 Killed In Extremist Attack On Hotel

    US Supreme Court Okays Reservations In Varsity Admissions, Blocks Immigration Reform

    United States Supreme Court upheld on Thursday college and university admission reservation based on race in a verdict that could adversely impact Indian-Americans

    US Supreme Court Okays Reservations In Varsity Admissions, Blocks Immigration Reform

    2 Million Britons Sign Petition Demanding Second EU Referendum

    2 Million Britons Sign Petition Demanding Second EU Referendum
    Over one million Britons have signed a petition calling on the British Parliament to hold a new referendum on Britain's membership of the European Union (EU).

    2 Million Britons Sign Petition Demanding Second EU Referendum

    Brexit: Indians Are Part Of The Flock, Let's Face The Music

    The next three months will be crucial for the country when the new team at 10 Downing Street begins their talks to find out new deals to protect the country's interests.

    Brexit: Indians Are Part Of The Flock, Let's Face The Music