There is a pressing need for comprehensive, age-appropriate sexual health education in schools, according to Nalini Singh, the executive director of the Fiji Women’s Rights Movement. This statement comes in light of alarming statistics showing that around 1,000 teen mothers become pregnant each year between 2016 and 2019.
Singh highlighted the concerning trend of earlier sexual activity among younger individuals and posed the question, “What can we do to prevent them from making decisions that will ultimately change the course of their lives?” She emphasized the importance of teaching children about bodily autonomy, safe spaces, consent, and respectful relationships.
Empowering women and girls with essential knowledge about their bodies is crucial, Singh said. She warned that denying them this education could worsen issues such as violence, teenage pregnancy, and poverty. “We need to break the taboo surrounding discussions about sex,” she added.
The executive director also advocated for the inclusion of sexual education in school curriculums, noting that the FWRM has consistently pushed for this through national budget submissions, statements from young women-led forums, and research analysis.
Singh expressed hope that the recent publication of data would encourage stakeholders to engage in deeper discussions on this matter and support the implementation of comprehensive sexual education for children.
According to the findings from “Putting Data and Evidence into Action: An Intersectional Profile of Adolescent Pregnancy and Motherhood in Fiji,” the adolescent fertility rate for those aged 15-19 rose notably from 30 to 38 births per 1,000 among iTaukei mothers and from 19 to 24 births per 1,000 among non-iTaukei mothers from 2016 to 2019.