In Kosovo, September 26, the World Contraception Day this year was marked under the motto ‘Your Life, Your Choice” with the aim to have a world where every pregnancy is wanted, and every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled.
Based on facts according to the latest worldwide researches and data:
- More than 41% of the 208 million pregnancies that occur each year are unintended.
- The number of young people in the world has never been higher. In all, there are about one billion 12 to 18 year olds. Almost nine out of ten live in the developing world.
- Worldwide, more than 41% of the 208 million pregnancies that occur each year are unintended.
- At least two-thirds of all reported sexually transmissible infections occur among men and women under the age of 25.
- In total, 215 million women have an unmet need for modern contraception.
- According to WHO 10 facts on sexually transmitted infections, one in 20 adolescent girls get a bacterial infection through sexual contact every year and the age at which infections are acquired is becoming younger and younger.
These are worrying facts and must be addressed as a priority by young people, parents, teachers, and healthcare providers around the world, in Kosovo as well. Therefore UNFPA in Kosovo through Luxembourg funds, with the support of the Ministry of Health, Center for Development of Family Medicine (CDFM), NGO “Health for all” and Peer Educators Network organized a series of activities.
A round table discussion was held in Pristina, with participation of more than 40 participants, including high officers from Ministry of Health, representatives of Family Health Centers, gynecologists, and representatives of Youth Non-Governmental Organizations. Except presentations and discussion that were held about situation of the sexual and reproductive health in Kosovo, focused on young generation, recommendations were made for future steps to be taken towards having youth informed and educated on sexual and reproductive health issues.
In addition:
- a group of youth through NGO Health for All, performed a drama with the main aim to educate and inform young people about sexual and reproductive health issues, as well as to encourage discussion between youth and their parents;
- about 22000 brochures were distributed through daily newspaper, peer education activities and seminar for health professionals;
- one info point stand was placed in the center of Prishtina city, where youth peer educators distributed brochures, free condoms and provided health education talks to young people on healthy sexual behavior, including promotion of condom use as a dual protection;
Marking of this day was quiet well covered by local media, and Mrs Zarife Miftari – UNFPA Project Coordinator participated in the live TV program to discuss about the aim of marking this day, and UNFPA’s mission related to sexual and reproductive health.
