Break the Chains

Teenage Pregnancy in Oaxaca, México.

Teenage pregnancy is a large-scale problem due to its impact on health and psychosocial development, and is the result of a series of causes and rights not being exercised, including sexual and reproductive health and rights. 

Poverty, access to education, and cultural values are closely related to teenage pregnancy and all these factors need to be addressed and taken into account if the indicators are to be reduced.Teenage pregnancy is influenced by: The level of socioeconomic development, social inequalities and lack of access to services, less access to schooling and health services, information and comprehensive sexuality education; under this line, adolescents in Oaxaca are at greater risk than that of other federative entities in Mexico, since, poverty rates are extremely alarming.

Oaxaca is a federative entity of the United Mexican States; According to figures from the last population census of the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI, 2020), the state of Oaxaca has a total population of 4,132,148 people, of this total only 10.7% of the population is not in poverty or at risk of poverty, which translates to 443,850 people in poverty out of a total population of more than 4 million 100 thousand people; this according to data from CONEVAL 2022. Regarding adolescent population figures according to INEGI, in 2020 there were 757,070 people between 10 and 19 years of age, of which 49.7% (376,511) were female and 50.2% (380,559) were male. 

Based on statistics from the Birth Information Subsystem (SINAC) in 2019, 11,931 births were registered in women aged 10 to 19 years with the entity of residence in the State of Oaxaca. Of these, 438 were in girls aged 10 to 14 years and 11,493 in adolescents aged 15 to 19 years, with the municipality of Oaxaca de Juárez registering the highest number. 

81.6% of adolescent mothers had a child born alive.

73.0% of adolescent mothers are in a free union.

40.3% of adolescent mothers have only completed secondary school.

15.0% have completed primary school.

90% of adolescent mothers are housewives (unpaid work).

38% of fathers are laborers.

20.3% of fathers do not have work.

Therefore, in a state where more than 90% of the population is already in this situation or vulnerable, it is important to prevent the numbers from continuing to increase, both in terms of poverty and teenage pregnancies, it is time to begin implementing projects and plans to reduce these numbers, join efforts of various sectors and work as a team, it is essential to consider Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights as a key component in the demographic agenda and cooperation agreements.  

In Oaxaca, the National Strategy for the Prevention of Adolescent Pregnancy (ENAPEA) is already being implemented, however, these efforts have not been sufficient to reach the established goals, so we faithfully believe that the path to the solution lies in cooperation: government, civil associations and international organizations, working together are possible positive results essential to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

The solution consists of 2 lines of action, the first one corresponds to:

FIRST ACTION LINE: MODULE "ADOLESCENT HEALTH"

The permanent establishment of a care module called "adolescent health" in the health centers of the selected municipalities to take full advantage of the infrastructure already existing in the localities. in which, adolescents will find and receive attention, advice, counseling and friendly psychological care by health personnel and experts in the field, indiscriminately whenever they wish, on issues related to responsible sexuality, sexual and reproductive health and rights and contraceptive methods. In this module, adolescents will also have free access to contraceptive methods and training on their use, thus helping to reduce teenage pregnancy rates, sexually transmitted infections, and school dropout rates.

SECOND ACTION LINE: CAMPAIGN

The second line of action corresponds to the simultaneous work as an awareness campaign on the importance of comprehensive sexuality education as a method to reduce teenage pregnancy rates and promotion of sexual and reproductive health and rights. At this stage, experts in sexual and reproductive health and rights, as well as psychologists and health personnel will work together to provide training to staff of educational institutions based in the selected municipalities. 

The teams of experts, together with pedagogues, will develop comprehensive sexuality education plans and sexual and reproductive health and rights inspired by the recommendations that UNESCO concludes are needed to create a comprehensive sexuality education,

Once we have covered the adolescent area, it is time to take action against the society that surrounds them, specifically their parents, who still have, a great majority of them, great prejudices about the approach to the subject of sexuality and sexual health; So, knowing that great changes can only be achieved by addressing most of the determining factors that cause it, this same group of experts and in coordination with our team will be responsible for negotiating agreements with municipal governments, to promote the realization of talks, talks, and elaboration of graphic material aimed at parents, in which topics will be addressed to break the stigma of sexuality and the taboo of sex education, the right and importance of full and responsible sexuality and the transmission of knowledge of sexual and reproductive rights of adolescents. Only by covering all the areas of upbringing and education of adolescents, which are the home, school, and health services, can real changes and improvements be achieved, breaking stigmas, abandoning prejudices, and establishing a different way of looking at comprehensive sexuality education and sexuality, generating changes in the short, medium and long term for the benefit of the development of young people and the consolidation of their future.

The Solution BREAK THE CHAINS, the establishment of the "Adolescent Health" module and the second action line: CAMPAIGN will benefit the adolescent population of four municipalities in the central district of the Central Valleys region of the State of Oaxaca.

The municipalities selected for the "Adolescent Health" project are:

1. Cuilapam de Guerrero: 2,965 adolescents, 1 health center
2. Oaxaca de Juárez: 25,046 adolescents.
3. San Bartolo Coyotepec: 1,285 adolescents, 1 health center
4. Santa Cruz Xoxocotlan: 10,380 adolescents, 1 health center

Having the impact of working together with 50% of the schools located in the selected municipalities and a total direct impact on 39 676 adolescents who will have access to comprehensive sexuality education, the promotion of their sexual and reproductive rights, and free access to counseling, advice, psychological support, and contraceptive methods, which will reduce teenage pregnancy rates, sexually transmitted infections, school dropout rates, poverty, etc. 

The indirect impact is difficult to quantify in the medium term, but in the long term we will find a more respectful and open society

In addition, comprehensive sexuality education and the promotion of sexual and reproductive health and rights permanently impact adolescents' lives. Having access to reliable information in a safe space in which the right atmosphere of trust is generated to resolve doubts will help to eliminate stigmas about sexuality, gradually making it a natural topic. Likewise, including and promoting sexual health improves attitudes about sexuality and reproductive health, and allows young people to "explore their attitudes and values, and practice decision-making and other life skills to make informed choices about their sexual lives," which translates into a fuller and safer life, thus positively impacting their futures and life plans.

TEAM MADE UP OF OAXACAN YOUNG WOMEN

The team is made up of young Oaxacan women between the ages of 21 and 24 from different parts of the state of Oaxaca who live in the district and municipalities selected for this project.

Growing up as adolescents in Oaxaca and living directly in education and society, we were able to notice the lack of importance given to sexual health and the promotion of sexual and reproductive health and rights, so we work to provide adolescents who are growing up, the information, advice, counseling and comprehensive sexuality education that we as Oaxacan women lacked; we have witnessed the consequences of teenage pregnancy, we have lived it very closely, the prejudices and rejection of young women is too sad, the lack of employment, the absence of parents, post-partum depression, leaving school, dealing with judgmental looks and seeing teenagers so young go through so much physical and mental pain caused by the lack of information and comprehensive sexuality education, is heartbreakin. We truly believe that teamwork and cooperation is a key factor for the solution, so we bet on strategic alliances. Unwanted teenage pregnancies can be avoided, and the life and development plans of thousands of teenagers would not have to be eclipsed. 

 Our team knows the region, Oaxacan values, and how to approach such a controversial issue for Oaxacan society, so we consider ourselves perfectly positioned to lead this project with long-term projections. We also have a large number of partners and strategic alliances that make this solution possible.

Our team is made up of young Oaxacan women who have had contact and experience with the municipal government, state government and public policy issues. Throughout our academic training we learned to create truly viable and possible public policies capable of generating tangible and quantifiable changes and results. We also have the experience in negotiating for objectives, in addition, consultants specializing in public policy and project generation have approved the Break the Chains solution, so is a really feasibility public policy and great impact with a limited amount of resources makes this solution a prototype and not a concept.

The most common actions to specific problems are developed from a sector and the action plan only takes into account what can contribute and provide that actor in the system, whether public or private, however, our team 

faithfully believe that the path to the solution lies in cooperation: government, civil associations and international organizations, working together are possible positive results essential to achieve.

we bet to inovate the way in which problems are addressed, giving it a multidimensional approach, in this case, with an effective alliance with the Oaxacan health system, state government, municipal governments, and schools, international organizations and civil associations.

Although the project is currently focused and directed at 4 municipalities in the central district of the Central Valleys region, the idea is to promote and generate tangible changes that can serve as a driving force for the adoption and promotion of the project throughout the district, then throughout the region and eventually reach the entire state of Oaxaca, reaching the point of having an "adolescent health" module in the 570 municipalities that make up the state and ensuring that all Oaxaca’s, not only adolescents, can enjoy their sexual and reproductive health and rights controlling birth rates, growth of poverty and marginalization, among others.

Reducing cases not only of unwanted teenage pregnancies, but also deaths caused as a result, school dropouts, health risks, and sexually transmitted infections; in turn, promoting a full and responsible sexuality, breaking stigmas, abandoning prejudices, and establishing a different way of looking at comprehensive sexuality education and sexuality, generating changes in the short, medium and long term for the benefit of the development of young people and the consolidation of their future.

5 Young oaxacan women

2 months