The Fiji Women’s Rights Movement (FWRM) has issued an urgent call for the nationwide implementation of Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) in all schools, following revelations that nearly 500 teenage pregnancies were recorded in just six months.
FWRM says the alarming statistic is not simply a public health concern but a glaring indicator of systemic failure to protect young women and girls.
Executive Director Nalini Singh said the numbers reflect the harmful consequences of silence, shame, and a lack of rights-based education on sexuality, relationships, and consent.
“Girls as young as 15 are getting pregnant. This isn’t about personal choice — it’s about the systemic denial of choice,” Ms Singh said.
“When young people lack accurate, age-appropriate information, their autonomy is compromised. Silence is not neutral. It perpetuates inequality.”
FWRM has long advocated for CSE in schools, backed by feminist organisations and communities who say the issue has been ignored for too long.
The organisation argues that denying sexuality education is part of a wider system that controls women’s and girls’ bodies, keeping them disempowered and vulnerable to abuse, exploitation, and early pregnancy.
“CSE is not an optional extra. It is a tool of justice that equips young people to make informed choices and claim their rights,” Ms Singh said.
“We cannot talk about reducing teenage pregnancies without confronting the root causes.”
FWRM has pledged to work with the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, civil society, and communities to ensure the urgent integration of CSE.
“Our girls deserve knowledge, not silence. They deserve autonomy, not control. Anything less is a betrayal of their rights,” Ms Singh said.
