CAMPAIGN TO END TEENAGE PREGNANCY and EARLIER MARRIAGE IN WESTNILE SUB
REGION
Teen Pregnancy:
Did you know that nearly 3 in 10 teen girls in the Uganda will get pregnant
at least once before age 19? That's more than 300,000 teen pregnancies each
year.
http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Teenage-pregnancy--The-pain-of-child-mothers/-/688334/1910850/-/h55g0dz/-/index.html
So what does this mean for you? Well, you hear about teen pregnancy in
movies, in the news, at school, on TV, and from your parents. You know it's
not a good idea to have a baby before you're ready, so why are so many
teens still getting pregnant every year? And what can you do about it?
Know the Facts:
Babies are great--they're cute and cuddly and they love you. But they're
also needy and selfish --they want all your time and attention and they want
it NOW. Be honest--there are a million things you'd rather be doing than
changing a nappies right? So if you decide to have sex, have you considered
the consequences of getting pregnant/ causing a pregnancy? Weirdly enough,
almost 45% of teens in Arua district have never thought about how a
pregnancy would affect their lives even though having a baby could be one
of the most life-changing things to happen to them. Consider this:
School comes second:
Parenthood is the leading reason why teen girls drop out of school; after
all, it's really difficult to juggle homework and a baby. Less than half of
teen mothers ever graduate from high school and approximately fewer than 2%
earn a college degree by age 30. Children of teen mothers do worse in
school than those born to older parents--they are 50% more likely to repeat
a grade, are less likely to complete high school than the children of older
mothers, and have lower performance on standardized tests. About one-fourth
of teen moms have a second child within 24 months of the first birth--which
can further delay their ability to finish school or keep a job.
A baby won't make him stay:
You may think having a baby will make your relationship even stronger, but
the fact is by average 8 out of 10 fathers don't marry the mother of their
child. It's also true that these absent fathers pay less than UGX 800,000
annually for child support, often because they are poor themselves and
can't afford legitimate support payments.
Have a Plan:
Start by thinking it through carefully yourself. Are you ready to have sex?
Are you going to wait? Though there are a variety of ways to avoid
pregnancy, they can be boiled down to two basic strategies:
-Delay Sex: Not having sex at all is the only 100% effective method of
preventing pregnancy, HIV/AIDS and STIs. Use Contraception when mature as a
last option upon counselling: If you do choose to have sex, you need to
make sure that you use protection correctly every single time you have sex.
There are a variety of types of contraception, so do some research and
figure out which method is right for you.
Whether you choose to have sex or not, it is important to be able to talk
about it with your partner. Having direct conversations about sex can be
difficult or embarrassing, but if you are confident about your facts and
able to express openly how you feel it should be easier. So take some time
to get informed and to think through what feels right for you. It may be
helpful to talk these decisions over with a close friend, parent, doctor,
or other trusted adult before you talk to your partner. When you are clear
about your own feelings, it will be easier to communicate them to someone
else. And don't wait until you're in the heat of the moment to make these
decisions--having a plan means being prepared before you're in the moment.
Get Involved:
So you think teen pregnancy is a problem? Want to do something about it?
There are organizations in many communities devoted to preventing teen
pregnancy--they are affiliated with churches, mosques, schools, independent
clubs, non-profit organizations, health centers, and reproductive health
organizations. Contact your local school board, faith leaders, youth
groups, and others who are concerned about young people. You can also talk
to parents and teens and educate them about the consequences of unprotected
sex and teen pregnancy. In fact, one of the most important things anyone
can do is to make sure parents and teens talk about these issues and know
the facts.
If You're Already a Teen Parent:
If you're already a teen parent, all the stuff on this page might sound
like it's meant to hurt your feelings. We know that our message might
unintentionally offend teen parents and we hope that you don't take what
we're saying here the wrong way. While your experiences as a teen parent
may be very positive, we know that the majority of teen moms and dads have
an incredibly difficult road ahead for themselves and for their children.
We are by no means trying to insult you as a teen parent or make you feel
like you've made a bad choice, but are instead hoping to help all teens
