[Gretta]

Dear students,

Please post your comments on one of the links provided here. If you are not able to open the link, go to files in the right-hand corner of this page and the material is under Course syllabus and readings.

Best,
Dr. Fernandes

http://bit.ly/HUS3605Singlemother

http://bit.ly/HUS3605TP

[Samantha]

This story to me was extremely powerful. After getting over the disbelief of what goes on in other countries, to young girls. I couldn’t help but Wonder what goes on in undeveloped country’s to young boys.
In regards to teenage pregnancy it is rising at an alarming rate . alot of young teenage girls are impregnated by individuals they know closely. Further , there are teenage girls who end up pregnant by an individual in the education system. And those that work in the system as well. Teenage pregnancy is a huge problem worldwide. In Africa, it is known that the people suffer severe hardship. I think more needs to be done to better help those in other countries.

[Julia]

In this video of Unlock the intelligence, Passion, Greatness of Girls Leymah Gbowee tell us the reality of what is happening with young adolescents in Liberia, because of poverty and lack of education the hopelessness and at the same time the desire to survive, it what forces them to take the wrong path, in many cases, prostituting themselves to be able to sustain. Due to lack of sexual orientation many of these adolescents become pregnant.

The young people of Liberia aspire to go to university or to middle school. But there are many cases, in which this is truncated by the appearance of a child, which means that they have to leave school to start earning money. Otherwise they cannot survive.

It is a harsh reality, and another front of struggle in which people of good will in that undeveloped country have a great battle to fight.

More activists like Leymah Gbowee are needed to motivate and bring hope to people with scarce economic resources, who have the desire to do better.

[Ivory Chavis]

After watching the TED Talk and the other video, I understand more of some of the reasons as to why teen pregnancy is an issue. However, it is also a global issue. As I watched the TED talk, it was disheartening to hear that there are so many young African girls who are being prostituted, raped by family members, and/or deprived of basic education. The stats in America were also very discouraging. 78% of children born to unmarried teen mothers without a high school diploma live in poverty. There needs to be more emphasis on this population because the percentage of children who are born to unmarried teen mothers without a high school diploma is very alarming. Also, the fact that the 78% of children born to unmarried teen mothers live in poverty is very startling. Simple prevention strategies such as sex education in schools, accessible contraception, and parent-child communication is being neglected. Basic prevention strategies can help to reduce the teen pregnancy rate. It was surprising to hear the young black girl in the video say that she never even heard of STDs or infections. Teen parents lack support whether it be from their parents/guardians, schools, etc. Teen parents may drop out of high school because they can’t balance school, taking care of a child, while doing other things such as maintaining a job, paying for childcare, and keeping a roof over their heads.

[Egzona Dedushi]

Being a mother is difficult, I’ve heard. i can not really speak from experience but i can not imagine being a teen mother. I remember the things i would worry about when i was a teenager and they were really small compared to taking care of a human being. It’s sad to know that we can’t support teen moms more and give them more opportunities but its also important to try and find ways to educate young women and men about the responsibilities that come along with pregnancy

[Jorge Perez]

Its pretty horrifying hearing about the sexual exploitation of young girls. Every girl should be allowed to go to school, and not worry about being raped. I have 2 daughters and this breaks my heart, that in the 21st century young innocent girls are still being exposed to a traumatic life. I also think the UN needs to do a better job in protecting these young girls on a global scale. A girl should not have to work hard to then get seduced because they were presented with an opportunity, such as a scholarship. Children should be treated with the same amount of respect as an adult, but in many cultures children are viewed as property. Children need to be given more recognition, and not just make up laws to hopefully protect them. Young girls and boys to this day continue to be exposed to abuse and neglect, so a far more serious approach needs to be taken to address the critical issues young girls dace around the world.

[Zerica]

Opportunity comes but once, however, those children in Liberia do not get that opportunity. Most of the children there are poor and do not get high school education. They do prostitution just of survive. I think that Leymah Gbowee who speak on behalf of women and young girls is doing a great job fighting for those children to get education and to have a better life. The girls are very intelligent and have the ability and motivation to do better, but because of the lock of resources they are unable to fulfill their dreams. Think about those two girls she came in close contact with who wanted her to take them, but she was unable do to so, at this point she does not know their where about. Girls been raped by their father. People in authority taking disadvantages of girls who wants to have an education. It is very say to see the way these girls has to live. Lack of education can but these teen into serious problem such as getting sexual transmitted diseases, and unwanted pregnancy. Teen pregnancy is very high in Africa. Back at home here teen pregnancy is at it’s lowest now, because the government provide just about every thing to prevent teen pregnancy. More of these teens graduate from high school and and if they do not graduate they get their GED. Most of the teens here experience some kind of abuse from their spouse. Why would anyone want to stay in an abusive relationship?

[Aszina]

It’s very sad to know the girls in Liberia go through this, to know they turn to prostitution because they are so poor is crazy. The fact that they aren’t getting education when a lot of them want education is sad as well. This woman that spoke out about it I believe if she had the resources to help them girls in the 90’s she would have because she was on the right path but her being poor herself and living home with parents their wasn’t much she could do. Now that she had the resources she’s taking the proper steps to offers teenage girls a way to get scholarships and attend school to have a better life and I applaude her for that. You never really understand how bad some of these countries are doing until you hear about it. I never understood why your own flesh and blood would rape you where are the family values. I pray for all those girls in Liberia.

[Odalys Cortes]

Watching the TED talk video it was sad to hear the stories and struggles Liberia girls go through. How world war countries have to survival and how young girls are treated. The lack of education, being raped , and with high rates of teen pregnancy is a big issue not only for Liberia girls but it is a global issues in the minority communities. We need to protect young women and encourage to continue higher education. Around the world people in authority will also try to take advantage of young girls and its not right, there needs to be changes for young girls to be protected. having educational sex talk is important because young girls at the age 12 are having sex need to know their risks and how to protect themselves.

[Kharyn Benjamin]

It is sad to hear the struggles of the young ladies in Liberia. Being that there is a high rate in teen pregnancy and being raped as well as not having the education is an issue world wide. There need to be protection for the women and encourage and empower them. After watching the video it makes me think about the prevention strategies that can be taught to them or given to them regarding pregnancy and STDs. It is sad to hear that young women must prostitute themselves because they are living in poverty. It is also sad to know that because they are young parents that they resort to unhealthy ways to obtain money just to support their child and they had dreams of going to school and bettering themselves. This is a sad reality because I have friends who are single mothers who also was teen parents and they made sacrifices such as leaving college in order to work full time to provide for their child.

[nyay nyay]

I think teenage pregnancy is a global issue whether it is in a developing country or not. It is pretty obvious that when teenage girls are pregnant and have children, many give up on their life and do not further their education because they lack time and their life becomes tougher in many ways. They end up having to dropout of school and move on to a new busy life. In general, having kids isn’t easy for anyone because it requires a lot of work and extra time to dedicate to your children. Sometimes teenage pregnancy is not by choice or planned. It happens when young girls get raped, are forced to marry a man or are not careful (do not use any kind of birth control) when having sex with their partners.

[Mindy Perez]

Both videos are absolutely moving. With that said, it is important to acknowledge that we as humans cannot control one another. Teens will do as they please. And it is obvious that teen pregnancy is an issue, world wide. The young mothers depicted in the second video are fortunate enough to be able to speak on what they have gone through as teen parents with assistance. And there are a lot more options for assistance now than there were just a decade ago. Teen pregnancy has actually decreased over the years but it is still present. And it always will be because we cannot control another human no matter how hard some may try. There are still not enough rights for women, world wide! Oppression exists on a mass scale and can contribute to issues like teen pregnancy. Academics have been hindered by oppression and education, I believe, has a direct correlation with teen pregnancy. A conversation has begun about self worth, and information has been given about the risks of teenage pregnancy, but there is much more to be done. Open dialogues about emotions can really deplete the amount of teenage pregnancy. I feel as though not enough young men and women are told they are loved and go searching for it in the wrong places. As well, there is the issue of poverty and it’s role in teenage pregnancy right along with the fact that even though a woman gets pregnant, a MAN is necessary to do so! There should be no blaming of one person/party.