Marie Stopes PNG marked World Contraception Day today, by highlighting how barriers preventing young people from accessing contraception and comprehensive sexuality education are increasing unplanned pregnancies.
The theme ‘It’s your life, it’s your responsibility,’ addresses the message to remove these barriers and allow them access to contraception.
Marie Stopes reported that adolescents all too often are told not to engage in sexual activities outside of marriage, hence are denied contraception.
However, Marie Stopes says this does not stop them from engaging in sex; instead increases the chances of unplanned pregnancies, with devastating impacts, not just with future dreams, but death when many make the choice of going through unsafe abortion.
Other issues of unplanned pregnancy includes limiting the ability of young people to remain in education, resulting in greater costs to society through lower wages for women and increased population growth.
The mission of the annual World Contraception Day is to improve awareness of family planning and to enable women, men and adolescents to make informed decisions for their sexual and reproductive health.