Between 2016 and 2019, approximately 1,000 babies were born each year to adolescent mothers aged 15 to 19 in Fiji, with the youngest recorded mother being just 13 years old. This information comes from a recent policy paper released by the Bureau of Statistics titled “Putting Data and Evidence into Action: An Intersectional Profile of Adolescent Pregnancy and Motherhood in Fiji.”
The report indicates a significant rise in the adolescent fertility rate during this timeframe, 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. It further noted that while more iTaukei babies were born to adolescent mothers, this is reflective of the larger iTaukei population in Fiji. Most adolescent mothers of iTaukei descent were found to be single or unmarried.
Over the four-year span, more than 3,350 children were born to iTaukei mothers aged 14 to 19, compared to 952 babies born to non-iTaukei mothers in the same age group. The report also revealed that among iTaukei mothers, 73 percent were single, 26 percent were married, and 1 percent were divorced. In contrast, around 50 percent of non-iTaukei mothers were married, while 38 percent were single and 4 percent were divorced.
The 2021 Fiji Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) cited in the report showed a stark disparity in adolescent fertility rates, with the poorest wealth quintile experiencing a rate of 52 per 1,000 compared to just 5 per 1,000 in the wealthiest quintile. Additionally, the survey indicated that adolescent fertility was 35 percent higher in rural areas than in urban locations.
According to the survey, among 791 adolescent girls, 85 percent reported awareness of a modern contraceptive method. However, only 13.5 percent of the 33 sexually active girls aged 15 to 19 reported being able to access modern contraception when needed.
A key recommendation from the report emphasizes the necessity of providing non-judgmental and confidential sexual and reproductive health services, alongside gender sensitization and training on gender-based violence.