THE PROBLEMS afflicting teenage girls were highlighted yesterday on World Population Day, where experts cautioned that young girls, especially in Asia-Pacific region, still suffer from teenage pregnancies, child marriages and patriarchal social norms.

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) hosted a discussion forum in Bangkok on the theme of “Investing in Teenage Girls” with the motto “investing in teenage girls: empowering girls, empowering nations”.

Panellists from Asia-Pacific countries discussed barriers that many girls encounter preventing them from getting a proper education and realising their potential to have a bright future.

In a statement read at the forum, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon emphasised the importance of empowering adolescent girls.

“Despite significant gains made in reducing poverty and improving opportunity and well-being for many people around the world, hundreds of millions remain desperate for a chance of better future, among those least served by previous development initiatives are girls, particularly those in their formative teenage years,” the statement said.

Yoriko Yasukawa, United Nations Population Fund Asia-Pacific regional director, said the UNFPA focused on girls’ issues because they are one of the most vulnerable groups subject to abuse, especially those in the Asia-Pacific region.

“Millions of girls suffer from forced marriage and give birth to a child before they turn 18 years old. If they did not face such a fate, they would have been able to go to school and have a chance to have better future,” Yasukawa said.

She said many girls were unable to enjoy their rights, freedom and the opportunity for a good life – which all rely on a proper education – because they are forced to leave school to marry when they are too young, they become pregnant, or they are victims of violence.

Harmful social norms

According to UNFPA statistics, 16.3 million girls in the Asia-Pacific region miss opportunities to attend secondary education every year on average, while 59 million girls are forced to marry before they are 18 years old and 4.9 million girls between the ages of 15 and 19 become teenage mums.

“It is important for all girls to be able to exercise their rights through getting education. And it is the mission for the government to invest in education and take steps to ensure that all the girls can access at least secondary education, even if they become pregnant during school,” Yasukawa said.

Rasa Sekulovic, regional head of child protection for Plan International Asia Office, emphasised it is important to remember on World Population Day that change starts from within and society needs to contest harmful social norms and practices to empower girls and craft a better future.