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Empower Pacific is overwhelmed by the increasing number of referrals of young mothers struggling with limited family support, psychological stress, and the fear of being judged.

There comments come after FBC News highlighted that 489 teenage pregnancies cases were recorded in the first six months of this year, including eight cases involving girls under the age of 15.

Counsellor Reshmi Singh says teen mothers face multiple challenges, including financial strain, stigma, and the risk of dropping out of school.

She states that while advocacy and awareness programs are ongoing, many young mothers still struggle with basic support.

Reshmi Singh – Counsellor – Pic supplied

“So there’s a lot of, quite a number of young people who do not get clear, you know, accurate and age-appropriate information about relationships, contraception’s, and reproductive health. And often, if you look at conversations about sex, they’re often avoided. It can be due to cultural or religious sensitivities.”

Singh highlights that lack of family and society support often leave teenage mothers isolated.

“So they’re falling out of the education system, and also having to return to school, educational institutions, and being labeled as a teenage mother, because we’ll accept the fact that despite the continuous work that is being done, there’s still a lot of stigma that is surrounding this issue. So this is the psychological impacts that, you know, the teenage mothers, they go through that affect them in terms of the academic performance and holistically as well.”

Medical Services Pacific Clinical Manager, Sereana Bulivakarua stresses the need for comprehensive sex education.

She is calling for stronger referral pathways and better collaboration to ensure teenage mothers can access help without fear of judgment.

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