Between 2016 and 2019, approximately 1,000 babies were born each year to adolescent mothers aged 15 to 19 in Fiji, according to a recent policy paper from the Bureau of Statistics titled “Putting Data and Evidence into Action: An Intersectional Profile of Adolescent Pregnancy and Motherhood in Fiji.” The report notes that the youngest mother was just 13 years old.
During this period, there was a significant rise in the adolescent fertility rate, which increased from 30 to 38 births per 1,000 among iTaukei mothers, and from 19 to 24 births per 1,000 among non-iTaukei mothers. The report indicated that more iTaukei babies were born to adolescent mothers, likely due to the larger proportion of the iTaukei demographic in Fiji.
It was found that most adolescent mothers of iTaukei descent were either single or unmarried. Over the four-year span, over 3,350 children were born to iTaukei mothers aged 14 to 19, compared to 952 babies born to non-iTaukei mothers aged 15 to 19.
Regarding marital status, the report highlighted that 73 percent of iTaukei mothers were single, 26 percent were married, and 1 percent were divorced. For non-iTaukei mothers, approximately 50 percent were married, 38 percent were single, and 4 percent were divorced.
The 2021 Fiji Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) also pointed out that from 2019 to 2021, the adolescent fertility rate was 52 per 1,000 among the poorest wealth quintile, in stark contrast to just 5 per 1,000 among the wealthiest. Additionally, the survey found that adolescent fertility was 35 percent higher in rural areas compared to urban settings.
Among the 791 adolescent girls surveyed, 85 percent reported being aware of modern contraceptive methods. However, only 33 girls aged 15 to 19, regardless of marital status, indicated that they were sexually active and in need of family planning. Of those, just 13.5 percent were able to access modern contraceptive methods as needed.
The report emphasized the necessity of providing non-judgmental and confidential sexual and reproductive health services, including training on gender sensitization and addressing gender-based violence.