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   - Photo via United Nations Children's Fund - |
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Published on Tuesday, September 28,
2021
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff Costa Rica registered 8,040 baby births to adolescent mothers in 2019, according to the most recent statistics published by the National Children's Trust, known as Pani, which is the state organization in charge of the protection of orphaned or abandoned children. According to the organization, of the total number of births, 264 were from mothers under the age of 14, plus 7,776 births were from mothers between 15 and 19 years old. With the goal of educating girls about reproductive health and motivating teen mothers to continue their studies, the organization launches an information campaign entitled "Derecho a la Educación de las Madres Adolescentes," the teen's mother's right to continue with their education in the English language. The campaign will provide information on benefits for teens mothers to continue with their studies, among these are scholarships, workshops and the 800-22626 line to provide emotional help. According to the organization, the number of pregnant teenagers has shown a decrease rate in 10 years. However, "the data show us that there is a long way to go to stop seeing teenage pregnancies as normal," Pani said in its statement. "When a teenager becomes pregnant radically changes her present and her future, there is a moment to be a mother and puberty is not," Gladys Jiménez, Minister of Children and Teens said. "Maternity in teens places the person in scenarios that change their life project, reduces their educational possibilities and increases the chances of poverty and social exclusion, which is why it becomes so important to have preventive and educational programs." When an inappropriate relationship is established (between an adult and a teenager) or pregnancy in an adolescent, the period of growth and development is interrupted because the teen is forced to undergo processes for which they are not prepared and that could be a threat to their integrity and their life. "That is why teenage pregnancy is considered to be one of the biggest challenges that Costa Rica has, from the perspective of young people's rights, sexual and reproductive health, human development and the fight against poverty," the organization said. The organization has developed the "Teen Mother Plan" to provide 2,500 scholarships per year, with a monthly amount of about $160, to aid the teen to cover her expenses and continue studying. "Right now there are only 120 scholarships available for the rest of the year," Pani said. The requirements for the teen mother or pregnant teen to obtain the scholarship are that they be under the age of 18 and enrolled in a school and request aid at the Pani. In addition, the organization is holding workshops where teen mothers are informed about their rights, especially the right to continue their education. Also, experts from the organization give free assistance on psychological and legal issues to teen line 800-2262-626. The hotline averages about 7,000 calls from adolescents seeking help, Pani said. A common characteristic of teen mothers is that of a single mom because the fathers do not fulfill their part of responsibility or they are adult men who maintained an illegal relationship with the young women. In Costa Rica, so-called improper relationships between adults and minors are a crime. In January 2017, the law regulating sexual relationships between minor teens and those older went into effect. The law, No.9406, provides three years in prison for adults who have relations with persons 15 and younger if the difference in age is five years or more. The same penalty applies to persons seven years older who have relations with teens between 15 and 18. The law mainly applies to any person who has a relationship with a minor. It also prohibits the inscription of marriages of minors in the Registro Civil. What have you heard of teens having an illegal relationship with an adult in your community? We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to news@amcostarica.com            
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