Young Pregnancy Among Teenagers and High Education Institution Students

Issue: Young Pregnancy Among Teenagers and High Education Institution Student

The issue of the study is the social issue among teenagers and our focus is on young pregnancy among the teenagers. The young pregnancy could happen by a few factors which are unlimited association with peers, rape and minor prostitution.

Nowadays, we heard and read many write up articles about young pregnancy that mostly involve female secondary school students. This is support by a research that shows an average of 18,000 teenage girls in Malaysia get pregnant each year. Out of this number, 25% or about 4,500 cases involve pregnancy out of wedlock. According to UM Specialist Centre (UMSC) obstetrician and gynecologist Dr Aizura Syafinaz Ahmad Adlan, these numbers could be the tip of the iceberg as many cases are likely unreported. Also, the experts said they believe this is the rise of teenage or young pregnancy.

The government comes up with campaigns such as #SayNo2Zina to handle the increase in young pregnancy during Valentine’s Day and they upload a poster to represent the issue on their official website. According to the Director of Woman Centre for Change (CCC) Program, Karen Lai says although LPPKN and the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry are working to address social issues such as out-of-pregnancy pregnancy, baby discharge, but the poster does not underlie the issue. In addition, she claims that we as an adult should teach them the private parts of each gender, learn how to respect each other and educate the youngsters to be mature to understand the consequences of their action.

To elaborate more on this issue, our group also relate young pregnancy with violence against women issue such as rape and domestic violence. According to Women, Family and Community Development Minister, Datuk Seri Rohani Karim said the government was committed to combating violence against women through the implementation of various programs by agencies and departments under its ministry, as well as the role played by non-governmental organizations (NGOs). In Malaysia, the case of violence against women is in a small amount but probably there more unreported cases because usually the victims are threatened by the abusers or a syndicate. Recently, there is a case of violence against women reported and it involves a female Malaysian University student. The suspect took off the victim’s clothes by force and try to rape her in her hostel. As a punishment of his action, The accused was charged under Section 376 (2) (a) of the Penal Code and Section 511 of the same sentence which carries a maximum jail sentence of 30 years and whipping, upon conviction.

Our group has conducted a survey among UiTM Sarawak Kampus Mukah to give their feedback about the issue and the results that they are aware of the issue. We as high education institution students, think that this issue should have a solution and one of the solutions that we agreed on is educate the minor on sex education. This is because we think sexual and reproductive education should be discussed as early as the age of children to give exposure to understand it thus reducing the number of out-of-date pregnancies among adolescents. The early exposure will reduce the curiosity of the children on sex and they will understand that sex is not something that underage could do. Soroptimist Puberty Organisation Toolkit (SPOT) is a useful medium to help alleviate sexual, community and reproductive health problems such as unsafe abortion, child abandonment and child marriage.

As a result, we think that this issue should come up with solutions as soon as possible because it will get worst and worst if it there is no immediate action are taken. Also, we are agreed that family and friends support are important for the victims of violence and experience young pregnancy. We should stop to think that only conversational approaches will able to handle the issue and refused to explain what sex to our minor as it is important for them to know what private parts and its should not be touch by other people. Plus, we should not ignore our children voices when they are complaining their bad experiences with their peers. If the children behave differently from the usual, parents should act immediately and strictly watch over their children. Parents are playing the main role to avoid young pregnancy because they able to reach out the children more often and their quick act will able to help reduce the young pregnancy cases.

References link:

1.      https://www.hmetro.com.my/mutakhir/2018/08/372460/kes-cubaan-rogol-penuntut-ums-26-september

2.      https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2019/01/03/malaysias-problem-with-teenage-pregnancy/

3.      https://www.sinarharian.com.my/article/9428/BERITA/Nasional/Kempen-SayNo2Zina-dapat-tentangan-NGO

4.      https://www.bharian.com.my/node/99793

5.      https://www.bharian.com.my/wanita/lain-lain/2019/03/539181/pendidikan-seks-kekang-hamil-luar-nikah

i

P/S : I’m writing this topic is for my assignments and I’m putting it here in case there’s any of you would like to make it as references (plus i want to keep it, i'm a hoarder.). I have provided my references link down here too, help yourself to use it! And I’m sorry if this write up arrangement is a mess. 

i