NCW is deeply concerned with the number of teenage mothers (under 16) who, according to the information given in reply to a parliamentary question, have given birth to 68 babies in the first three months of 2007.

Teenage pregnancies and births can have serious physical and emotional consequences, both for the mother and the child. Besides, adjusting to parenthood at such an early age and trying to live the life of an adolescent without renouncing on studies in preparation for their future, is very difficult. Issues concerning the responsibilities of the father of the child are also often complicated.

NCW believes that there is the need for more effective values-based sex education programmes in schools to help young people develop skills that challenge the media and Internet messages, which are portraying sex in a distorted manner, completely excluding responsible behaviour.

NCW calls on the Commissioner for Children to give priority to the issues that our young people are facing in their daily life, to ensure that they can make mature, responsible choices in these and other emotionally laden situations.