Adolescent pregnancies in Argentina fall by 50% over 12 years – Argentina Reports
Adolescent pregnancies in Argentina fall by 50% over 12 years Argentina Reports
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Adolescent Pregnancy Rates in Argentina Decrease, Emphasizing the Importance of Sustainable Development Goals
Buenos Aires, Argentina – An analysis of 2022 national census data released this month reveals that adolescent pregnancy rates in Argentina have dropped by half in the past 12 years. This positive trend can be attributed to increased access to sexual education and birth control methods.
The National Institute of Statistics and Censuses (INDEC) reported that Argentina’s population reached 45,892,285 people in 2022. Among them, 7,126,256 are women between the ages of 14 and 49 who have had at least one child. Since 2001, the birth rate among this age group has decreased from 1.7 children per female to 1.4 in 2022.
The percentage of pregnancies among adolescent females aged 15 to 19 decreased from 13.1% in 2010 to 6.4% in 2022, representing a decrease of more than half.
Despite the declining pregnancy rate, young mothers in Argentina still face challenges. According to INDEC, only 40.4% of 15 to 19-year-old mothers continue their secondary studies after becoming pregnant, compared to 84.9% of young women without children. However, having children also increases the integration of adolescents into the country’s workforce. The data shows that 36.6% of young women who have at least one child are economically active, compared to 22% of those without children.
The World Health Organization reports that the global adolescent birth rate has decreased from 64.5 births per 1,000 women in 2000 to 41.3 births per 1,000 women in 2023.
Public Policies Promoting Sexual Education and Birth Control
In recent decades, Argentina has implemented legislation aimed at educating adolescents about sex and improving access to birth control methods.
In 2006, Argentina’s Congress passed the Integral Sexual Education Law (ESI), which guarantees the right of every student to receive comprehensive sexual education in public, state-run, and private educational institutions. Despite opposition from conservative and religious groups, the measures outlined in the ESI law have been fully implemented nationwide.
Sex education in Argentina, based on the ESI law, focuses on promoting body and health care, valuing affectivity, ensuring gender equality, respecting diversity, and exercising reproductive rights.
In 2017, during President Mauricio Macri’s administration, the national government launched the Adolescents’ Unintentional Pregnancy Prevention Plan (ENIA). Derived from the ESI law, this plan aimed to improve sexual and reproductive health services and strengthen policies to prevent sexual abuse and violence. The management of ENIA services is shared among the ministries of health, social development, and education.
Argentina Reports reached out to Valeria Isla, the former Director of Sexual and Reproductive Health during former President Alberto Fernández’s administration, and Silvina Ramos, a researcher at the Center for the Study of State and Society (CEDES), a Buenos Aires-based think tank.
According to a report they developed on the performance of ENIA from its inception until 2023, Isla and Ramos found that the plan contributed to a 45% reduction in the adolescent pregnancy rate since 2018. Their report also highlighted the government’s efforts to deploy instructors in every province to ensure the effective implementation of the plan.
Another significant achievement for women’s reproductive rights occurred in December 2020 when Argentina legalized abortion, a law advocated by activists known as the Green Wave.
However, with the election of far-right Libertarian President Javier Milei in 2023, the future of Argentina’s progress in women’s health remains uncertain.
Last week, Vice President Victoria Villarruel launched a campaign to ban abortion. She stated, “Ending the life of a vulnerable human being is not a right. Argentina must always be a land of life,” as she posted on Twitter. Milei himself has repeatedly defined abortion as “aggravated murder based on family ties and disparity of force.”
As there have been no official statements from the new government officials regarding birth control policies, the future of the ESI law and ENIA plan remains uncertain.
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
1. SDGs Addressed or Connected to the Issues Highlighted in the Article
- SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
- SDG 4: Quality Education
- SDG 5: Gender Equality
- SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
2. Specific Targets Under Those SDGs Based on the Article’s Content
- SDG 3.7: By 2030, ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, including for family planning, information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programs.
- SDG 4.7: By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship, and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development.
- SDG 5.6: Ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights as agreed in accordance with the Program of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development and the Beijing Platform for Action and the outcome documents of their review conferences.
- SDG 8.5: By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value.
3. Indicators Mentioned or Implied in the Article
- Percentage of adolescent females aged 15-19 who become pregnant
- Percentage of young mothers who continue their secondary studies after becoming pregnant
- Percentage of economically active young women who have at least one child
Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being | SDG 3.7: By 2030, ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, including for family planning, information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programs. | Percentage of adolescent females aged 15-19 who become pregnant |
| SDG 4: Quality Education | SDG 4.7: By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship, and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development. | Percentage of young mothers who continue their secondary studies after becoming pregnant |
| SDG 5: Gender Equality | SDG 5.6: Ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights as agreed in accordance with the Program of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development and the Beijing Platform for Action and the outcome documents of their review conferences. | Percentage of economically active young women who have at least one child |
| SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth | SDG 8.5: By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value. | Percentage of economically active young women who have at least one child |
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Source: argentinareports.com
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