The relatively high rate of unplanned pregnancies in Fiji is a concern for Empower Pacific branch manager Sonal Singh.

This is after the organisation released alarming statistics on pregnancy cases among teenage girls with 89 referred by the Ministry of Health and Medical Services.

Ms Singh said an unplanned pregnancy placed a burden on the individual who found herself pregnant.

“So you must advocate on pregnancies by choice, and provide women and girls of our nation with the necessary knowledge, skills and attitudes so that they will use contracep­tion as and when required,” she said.

“The consumption of explicit pop culture and internet pornography had influenced young people and their values. This could be a factor in the high pregnancy figures.

“There was a culture of silence among Pa­cific people, with children told what to do and adults assuming they listened.

“That will not work with society changing rapidly.

“We’re having increasing access to all these forms of culture, ideas, access to informa­tion and the issue is not controlling that ac­cess.

“The issue is helping our young people to be able to discern and make the right decisions and choices.

“We can only do that if we ourselves are willing to have that conversation,” she said.

Empower Pacific is a Non-Governmental Organisation which seeks to enhance the full potential of communities.

This is achieved by working in partnership with the Government and other community agencies to ensure a holistic professional health service is provided.

Edited by Percy Kean

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