Dina Indrasafitri, Jakarta – As it marks World Contraception Day (WCD), Indonesia has to face the disheartening fact that it is lagging behind in its family planning targets and the nation's teens are still seeking abortions.
A 2008 survey covering 65 million young people revealed that reportedly 21 percent of teenagers who had engaged in sexual activity have had an abortion, National Family Planning Agency (BKKBN) director for the Family Planning Services chief Setia Edi said.
The survey, which was conducted in 33 provinces, also revealed that 63 percent of teenagers had engaged in sexual activities, he said Thursday during a conference on World Contraception Day, which is observed every Sept. 26th.
In addition to the widespread hazards associated with illegal abortion practices, Indonesia has also lagged behind its national target to increase the contraceptive prevalence rate as part of its family planning program.
"We only reached an increase of 1.3 percent over a period of five years. The targeted increase is actually 1 percent each year," Setia Edi said, adding that the rate is reminiscent of that of a decade ago.
Family planning plays a vital role in determining maternal safety and child health, both of which are targets of Indonesia's 2015 Millennium Development Goals.
Indonesia is not on track in meeting its maternal health goal to reduce the maternal mortality rate by three quarters of the 1990 figure before the 2015 deadline. In 2007 the rate still stood at 228, while the required 2015 target is a little over 100.
Indonesia is also having trouble meeting another target: controlling the spread of HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases, said Nila Moeloek, President Soesilo Bambang Yudhoyono's special envoy for MDGs.
Despite the alarming rate of sexual activity among unmarried teenagers, the agency would not provide contraception – including condoms, which is the only tool with the ability to prevent both pregnancy and the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, Setia Edi said.
BKKBN would instead focus on providing teens with information on the risks of sex and the importance of family planning. "We have counseling groups, consisting of teenagers, who will spread the information," Setia Edi said.
World Contraception Day was launched in 2007, and this year's theme is "take responsibility," according to the USAID website. The WCD is a worldwide campaign to improve awareness of contraception and facilitate young people to have the ability to make informed decisions on sexuality and reproductive health, the www.your-life.com website said.
"WCD 2010 focuses on the need to encourage young people to take responsibility for contraception to prevent unplanned pregnancy or sexually transmitted infections," the website said.
However, the WCD observance in Indonesia might take on a different form, Setia Edi said. "Other countries might allow their [unmarried] teenagers to use contraception, but we have religion and traditions that do not allow teens to use them," he said.
Asia Pacific Council on Contraception representative Biran Affandi disagreed, saying that unmarried teenagers should be given access to contraceptives. "If a teenager wants a contraceptive, the doctor should provide it," Biran said, adding that providing contraception to those who need it is part of a doctor's duty to care for patients.