Teenage pregnancies and abortion, either safe or unsafe, are increasing at an alarming rate in Seychelles and statistics have shown that a high proportion of these are occurring amongst the youngest teenagers. These high numbers remain a concern for the country as they demonstrate the vulnerability of adolescents.
In an effort to fully understand the local situation, permitting for the issues to be addressed on the floor of the House, the Committee on Communicable Diseases, HIV/AIDS and SRHR, in collaboration with the Nurses Association, ARASA and SADC PF, hosted a roundtable Discussion on teenage pregnancy and safe abortion for Members of the National Assembly at the National Museum of History on Friday 10th June 2022.
Held under the theme “Advocacy for women and girls to access SRH services, including safe abortion in Seychelles”, the goal of this event was to conduct a discussion with policy makers to engage, influence and advocate on policy change regarding women and girls including safe abortion and the reduction of teenage pregnancies.
The Roundtable also served as a follow up to the Capacity Building Workshop with Members late last year to capacitate them to become more knowledgeable while playing their oversight functions, by scrutinizing policies and legislation to stimulate national responses to SRHR and also propose amendments to these laws to reflect the country’s needs.
Information amassed will be used, together with those received during the workshop, to inform two Motions to be tabled soon on the decentralization of HIV/AIDS and SRH services and the harmonization of laws between the age of consent to sex and access to contraceptives. Being knowledgeable on the issues of SRHR in relation to adolescents and their augmenting needs, and vulnerabilities, Members of the Assembly will be in a better position to act in a manner that will be fundamental in making much needed positive changes.
The event, saw presentations by Dr. Winnie Low-Wah who explained about Bodily Autonomy and Integrity (BAI) and its importance, Ms. Loréa Rassool, an independent midwife, who presented on incidences of teenage pregnancy in Seychelles with special emphasis on barriers on access to sexual Reproductive health services and abortion. In addition, a Gyneacologist Dr. Robert Michel, presented on the impact of legal and backstreet abortions by women and girls and the need to review the status quo, as well as Ms. Angel Jeannevol and Ms. Sabrina Confiance from the Social Affairs Department who contextualized the impact of teenage pregnancies in Seychelles.
The final 45 minutes of the Roundtable discussion was a plenary session moderated by the Chairperson of the Committee on Communicable Diseases, HIV/AIDS and SRHR, Hon. Rosie Bistoquet. The vice Chairperson of the same Committee, Hon. Egbert Aglae, made the closing remarks.
Also present at the event were the National Assembly’s Women Caucus Members, Members of the Nurses Association and ARASA Project representative, Ms. Ronny Arnephy.
