Itaipu Binational and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) presented the "Prevention and reduction of unintended pregnancy in adolescence" project to the mayors of western Paraná on Friday (15th), developed by the company and the United Nations agency. According to Jaime Nadal, UNFPA representative in Brazil, the initiative is an opportunity for the municipalities of Paraná to become a reference in addressing the subject.

 

 

"The actions we intend to put into practice may have an important impact on the development of the western region of Paraná. In the future, this successful experience may be replicated in other places, including other countries", said Nadal.

 

Itaipu Binational will support the initiative through the Itaipu-Health Workgroup. According to the company’s Brazilian general director, Marcos Stamm, "It’s good to know that we can rely on the partnership with the municipalities to carry out this type of project, which involves not only health issues, but also social, educational issues and even people’s awareness ".

 

The goal is to bring quality and appropriate information so that teenagers can make voluntary, informed and responsible decisions about their health, their future and avoid unplanned pregnancies. The joint action involves services, communication strategies, data production and analysis that allow the development of public policies aimed at teenagers and young adults, especially in the prevention of unintended pregnancy.

 

Itaipu and UNFPA, side by side with the municipal management, will develop a comprehensive prevention, informational and training program. According to the  Itaipu-Health consultant, doctor Luiz Fernando Ribas, the project will follow a "main line" of action, but there will be respect to local characteristics. "The strategies will be specific to the needs that will be raised in each city", he added. 

 

This partnership is centered on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) number 3 - Health and Welfare; 5 - Gender equality; and 17 - Partnerships and Means of Implementation. 

 

The initiative was presented during the 5th Extraordinary Assembly of the Association of Municipalities of Western Paraná (Amop). In addition to Marcos Stamm, the meeting was attended by Itaipu executive directors, Mauro Corbelini; Administrative, João Pereira; Coordination, Newton Kaminski; Itaipu-Health members; the Paraná secretary of Communication, Alexandre Teixeira, who represented Governor Cida Borghetti; mayors and secretaries of the Amop cities, including Anderson Maria, president of the Association and mayor of Maripá, and Chico Brasileiro, mayor of Foz do Iguaçu; and state and federal congress representatives.

 

 

In Brazil, in 2016 alone, 24,000 infants were born from girls up to the age of 14 and 477,000 children from mothers with ages between 15 and 19. When we looked closer at this group, we identified a few common characteristics. According to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), out of every ten girls with ages between 15 and 19, pregnant or with children, seven are black and six don’t work or study.

 

The purpose of the action is to help young people, in addition to exercising their sexual and reproductive rights safely, to gain life skills and abilities to develop their full potential.

 

“Adolescent mothers often end up having fewer basic rights, such as education, health, leisure, and work. As adults, they end up having more difficulty entering the paid work market and achieving autonomy", said Jaime Nadal.

 

"With this partnership, we want the decision of having children to be a conscious and informed choice, and that both boys and girls can have access to the planning of their future with equal opportunities.”