The concerning increase in teenage pregnancies in Fiji should not be blamed solely on the church, but should be viewed as a shared responsibility, according to a senior official from the Methodist Church.
Reverend Jolame Lasawa, General Secretary of the Methodist Church in Fiji and Rotuma, stressed that addressing teenage pregnancy requires a collaborative effort from all sectors of society rather than singling out one group for blame.
This statement comes in light of a noted rise in teenage pregnancies following major events and during school holidays. Opposition Member of Parliament and Shadow Minister for Health and Medical Services, Penioni Ravunawa, has raised alarms about this issue during the current Term Two break for primary and secondary students.
With various activities happening nationwide, including church conferences, youth camps, and festivals, the Ministry of Health has reported that its Health Information Unit documented 1,279 teenage pregnancy cases between 2018 and 2021. Among these, 1,057 cases involved iTaukei individuals, 178 were Indo-Fijians, and 44 belonged to other ethnic backgrounds.
Reverend Lasawa pointed out that teenage pregnancy is a widespread concern, affecting not only educational institutions but also community life. The statistics show the Central Division had the highest number of cases at 636, followed by the Western Division with 350 cases, the Northern Division with 60, and the Eastern Division with 11 cases.
“We have our education and youth departments actively working to tackle issues related to teenage pregnancy. While the church often faces criticism, the responsibility must be a collective one,” Reverend Lasawa mentioned.
Opposition MP Ravunawa added that teen pregnancies and childbirth contribute significantly to high dropout rates among female high school students, increased health costs, foster care challenges, and various developmental hurdles for the children of teen mothers. He noted that babies born to teenage mothers are at a higher risk of premature birth, low birth weight, and, sadly, higher mortality rates.