Preventing teen pregnancy among students in technical, vocational and training institutions is the aim of a graphic art exhibition inaugurated in Chisinau.

The exhibition raises attention of girls and boys to the importance of informed decisions about sexual and reproductive health and use of modern contraception in avoiding a pregnancy in adolescence. The graphic works are picturing 10 potential situations of parenting in adolescence, pointing in a creative way to the personal, health, and development issues associated with a pregnancy at this early age.

The event takes place at Technical and Vocational School number 2, one of the 12 educational institutions undergoing a life skills education project for the students, implemented by UNFPA in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Research with Austrian Development Agency support.

Part of the communication campaign “I am the influencer of my life!” aiming to prevent risky behaviours among teens in the TVET system, the exhibition will travel around the country in the period April-May 2022, being displayed in other 11 schools in Chisinau, Cahul, Orhei, Nisporeni, Rezina, Balti, Rascani, Edinet.

Based on the exhibition, experts in adolescents’ health and prevention of gender-based violence along with the members of peer-to-peer network on life skills that promote healthy behaviours will organise thematic discussions with quizzes.  Thus, students from all 12 institutions will learn how to prevent a pregnancy in adolescence, how to identify and report cases of violence, which will help reduce school dropout, increase graduation statistics and positively influence on their employment.

Teen pregnancy among girls studying in VET institutions has been highlighted as a problem, including for their future career development. According to the Study to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding the health and life skills of students (KAP 2021) in VET, 20 technical and vocational schools in Moldova reported for the 2019-2020 study year a total of 67 teen pregnancies with one in 5 girls dropping out of school/college because of the pregnancy.

“A pregnancy in adolescence most of the time is an unplanned one leaving girls and boys struggling to deal with a situation they did not choose and are not prepared for this. Limited access to comprehensive sexuality education in schools and still strong taboos around sexual and reproductive health and rights of adolescents and youth is among the key factors contributing to unintended pregnancies in adolescence. UNFPA teamed up with Austrian Development Agency and Ministry of Education and Research to empower young girls and boys to take charge of their future through healthy behaviours and life skills education” stated Ludmila Sîrbu, Programme Analyst on Youth, UNFPA.

National statistics speak about 1811 adolescent girls in Moldova who became mothers in 2020, and the number is four times higher in rural areas than in urban areas. Out of the total number of teen mothers, around a quarter are girls under 17 years old. The same data shows that about 20% of pregnant 19-year-old girls are in their second pregnancy.