MANILA: Teenage pregnancy is on the rise in the Philippines and woman's groups said it is time to introduce sex education in government schools.
But their proposal has met with stiff resistance from the country's influential Catholic Church.
On the eve of the senior prom, when most teenagers worry about what to wear, 19-year-old Mel has other things on her mind.
In three months, she will be giving birth to her first child. She said: “At that time, I was searching for love. I felt all alone and unloved.So I thought that by giving myself to my boyfriend, I will be able to feel love and he will love me forever.” Mel now lives in a shelter for teenage mothers.
She's hoping that when the baby arrives in August, her parents will give in and accept them back. Mel's story is a familiar one. She is one of 3.6 million teenage mothers in the Philippines.
According to the World Bank, the Philippines is among the top ten countries where there is an increasing number of teenage mothers and these statistics often translates to a higher incidence of poverty in the country.
Woman's groups are alarmed by the steady increase in teen pregnancies. Seven out of every 10 women, who are pregnant, are teenagers and most of them, younger than 19. Courtesy: Channelnewsasia.com
But their proposal has met with stiff resistance from the country's influential Catholic Church.
On the eve of the senior prom, when most teenagers worry about what to wear, 19-year-old Mel has other things on her mind.
In three months, she will be giving birth to her first child. She said: “At that time, I was searching for love. I felt all alone and unloved.So I thought that by giving myself to my boyfriend, I will be able to feel love and he will love me forever.” Mel now lives in a shelter for teenage mothers.
She's hoping that when the baby arrives in August, her parents will give in and accept them back. Mel's story is a familiar one. She is one of 3.6 million teenage mothers in the Philippines.
According to the World Bank, the Philippines is among the top ten countries where there is an increasing number of teenage mothers and these statistics often translates to a higher incidence of poverty in the country.
Woman's groups are alarmed by the steady increase in teen pregnancies. Seven out of every 10 women, who are pregnant, are teenagers and most of them, younger than 19. Courtesy: Channelnewsasia.com
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