Praia, Cape Verde (PANA) – Teenage pregnancy in Cape Verde has dropped from 23.9% in 2011 to 20.1% in 2013, the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) said Tuesday.
“We want to improve our communication with teenagers and youths in general as it proves to be one of the means to maintain this positive trend,” UNFPA deputy representative in Cape Verde, Ilaria Carnevali, said at a meeting which brought together health and education officials as well as youths and journalists in Praia.
Carnevali advised young people to avoid unprotected sex in order to further reduce the rate of early pregnancy.
“Through communication, it is possible to change behaviours, but it has to be attractive to youths,” she remarked, stressing the importance of using appropriate ways and means of communication.
According to Cape Verde’s Managing Director for Youth, Armanda Prado, the districts of Paul, Porto Novo, Sao Vicente, Ribeira Brava, Santa Cruz and Sao Domingos have established communication committees on reproductive health.
Public health nurses visit the committees twice weekly for consultations with members on health issues and for training young people on ways of avoiding early pregnancy.
