Teens ‘aren’t for that’ push aims to prevent pregnancy

Santo Domingo.- Vice president Margarita Cedeño and nationalinstitutions on Wednesday launched the campaign "Tu no ta ‘pa’ eso" (youare not for that) to provide guidance, prevent and reduce the country’s high teenpregnancy rates.

The National Prevent Teen Pregnancy Campaign, iscoordinated by an inter-agency committee, civil society and international aid organizations.

The initiative includes messages on the consequences ofearly pregnancy, values ??and the importance of planning life projects startingwith adolescence. It also provides information on HIV and STI transmission, familyplanning methods, sexual and reproductive rights and self-esteem, among others.

The campaign launch at the Olympic Center was headed by JeannieFerreras, UN Population Fund (UNFPA) gender and youth officer.

Recent studies found that the fertility rate among Dominicanadolescents is twice the global figure of 49%.

The country is among Latin America’s top three nations withthe most teen pregnancies. It’s estimated that 21.4% of women between 20 and 24had at least one child before age 18.