Child birth complications: 576 deaths occur out of every 100,000 – UNFPA

•    Says 3.2m engage in unsafe abortion

UNITED Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) said on Thursday that 576 deaths from every 100,000 population arise from complications of child birth labour and abortions, while 3.2 million engaging in unsafe abortion in developing countries.

Also, 20,000 girls between the ages of 15 and 19 give birth each day in developing countries while the percentage of girls coerced to have sex is placed at 10 per cent.

Head of Lagos Office, UNFPA, Dr Omolaso Omosehin,‎ made this disclosure, while speaking at an event to mark the 2016 World Population Day with the theme, “Investing in Teenage Girls,” as he lamented the rising cases of teenage pregnancy,

This was just as the Lagos State government has vowed to invest heavily in the education and empowerment of teenage girls, vowing that the state government would do everything possible to check the ugly trend.

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget, Abayomi Kadri, said the empowerment of teenage girls in the state would not only help the government to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the state but also provide them with the opportunity to become self reliant and accomplish their life ambition.
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According to him, teenage girls around the world face enormous challenges, saying many were considered by their communities or peers to be ready for marriage and motherhood at their early age, while many were forced out of school.

‎Kadri disclosed that bursary and scholarship were awarded to some of the vulnerable and indigent students as well as those with high educational performance on annual basis through the Ministry of Education, contending these were done to encourage the teeming teenagers.‎