Teen pregnancy has become an issue of concern in the modern day. The teen birth rate has increased significantly over the years. In 2015, the United States registered more than 22 teen births per 1000 girls aged between 15 and 19 years (National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion & Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2011). The increasing rates of teen birth are an issue of concern because it serves as a hindrance for the young girls to achieve their dreams. Being a teen mother only mean that young girls do not have the capabilities of nurturing their young ones. For this reason, there have been efforts to reduce the rates of teen pregnancy and ensure that young girls make wise sexual decisions. This paper will explore advocacy campaigns that have the potential to reduce teen pregnancies.
The introduction of a comprehensive sexual health module in school has been one of the highly researched advocacy campaigns to reduce teen pregnancies. The partnership between schools and the healthcare sector has helped to increase awareness among young girls on how to develop healthy relationships and make wise decisions. These programs empower young girls to take responsibility for their lives and recognize that choices have consequences (Guglielmo, 2013). With such knowledge, the youth can make better decisions and seek help from adults. Additionally, the introduction of contraceptives and education programs by local healthcare providers is an additional advocacy campaign that helps young people to prevent teen pregnancies (Colorado, 2009). Local health care providers organize training programs that prepare young people for making different life choices. Moreover, the local healthcare providers introduce teenagers to contraceptives and teach them the significance of having control over their lives.
The advocacy campaigns discussed above have registered some positive outcomes. However, recent statistics reveal that there is a need to develop a better health advocacy campaign that can address the needs of young people. Particularly, the health advocacy campaign will target parents, caregivers, clergymen, teachers, and all adults who play a critical role as role models in the society. The objective of the campaign will be to empower the parents and guardians and other youth mentors so that they can develop important skills and be in a position to talk to teenagers about sex and related issues (Colorado, 2009). It is apparent that many parents and caregivers lack the skills and knowledge needed to initiate healthy conversations with teenagers. Recent statistics indicate that many teenagers learn about sex from other sources and not their parents or guardians.
The existing gap between the knowledge of parents and caregivers and their heavy responsibility of guiding teenagers places emphasis on the need for the health advocacy campaign. Empowering parents, guardians and all the potential youth mentors will present them with an opportunity to address issues that teenagers face. The teenage years are quite difficult for any young people, and they need guidance from their parents and mentors (Bratsis, 2015). If the parents and mentors have the right skills, they can guide the young people to make better decisions and to understand all the issues related to sex (Bratsis, 2015). The main objectives of this campaign will be to raise awareness of teen pregnancy among parents, guardians, and youth mentors. The campaign will utilize different strategies in ensuring that parents have an opportunity to understand issues that their young ones face. Particularly, faith-based organizations will play a critical role in inviting parents, guardians, and youth mentors for training programs that teach them how to approach young people and hold meaningful conversations with them.
Community-based training programs targeting parents and guardians will also serve as an avenue for empowering parents to take up their role in bringing up teenagers. These training programs will help parents to share ideas on how to approach young girls and teach them about sex and its consequences. The parents and guardians will need to provide a realistic understanding of sex to their children. Introducing an advocacy campaign that targets parents and guardians, and youth mentors will serve as an effective strategy in reducing teen pregnancies (Bratsis, 2015). The programs will help in promoting better parenting strategies, especially when dealing with teenagers. Such programs will enable parents and guardians to establish effective relationships with their teenagers and be able to discuss sensitive issues. Fostering the positive relationship between parents and teenagers will create a favorable environment for the teenagers to learn about sex, sexually transmitted diseases, as well as early pregnancies (Colorado, 2009). Undoubtedly, these health advocacy campaigns will increase the competencies of parents in ensuring that they equip their teenagers with the right skills. Many parents are unable to help their children develop important life skills. The proposed advocacy campaign will fill in this knowledge gap successfully.
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Bratsis, M. (2015). Health Wise: Reducing Teen Pregnancy. The Science Teacher,82(6), 12-12.
Colorado. (2009). Preventing teen pregnancy in Colorado. Denver, Colo: Colorado Maternal and Child Health Program.
Guglielmo, L. (2013). MTV and teen pregnancy: Critical essays on 16 and pregnant and Teen mom. Lanham: Scarecrow Press, Inc.
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (U.S.)., & Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.),. (2011). Preventing teen pregnancy in the US. [Atlanta, Ga.] : Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.