A children’s welfare group on Friday raised the alarm over the 35-percent increase in pregnancies among girls aged 10 to 14 in the Philippines.

To address this unsettling trend, Save the Children Philippines called on families and the government to join forces in educating children about reproductive health and their rights.

In 2022, the Philippine Statistics Authority documented 3,135 cases of pregnancies among young girls, a 35-percent increase from the 2,320 cases recorded in 2021.

The PSA has noted a concerning upward trend in pregnancies under the age of 15 since 2017, and since then, the Philippines has continued to have one of the highest youth pregnancy rates in Asia.

“We call upon the government to prioritize comprehensive access to sexual and reproductive health information and services, to conduct massive awareness-raising campaigns, and to strengthen health systems to safeguard the safety and well-being of our children,” said SCP Technical Adviser for Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Shebama Alqaseer.

As International Women’s Day approaches, Alqaseer said she hopes to draw attention to early and unintended pregnancies among young girls.

“We encourage parents to engage in open and healthy conversations with their children about sexuality and reproductive health to empower them to make informed choices,” Alqaseer said.