Based on the alarming number of cases of early pregnancy among very young adolescents, which are often associated with sexual violence, CEPIA developed the Campaign “Maternity Can Wait”.
The aim of the campaign is to strengthen the girls’ self-esteem through the idea of “life plans”; offer reliable information about services and protection networks, drawing attention, especially, to the role of the family and the school in promoting non-sexist education, valuing the potential of adolescents and preventing, identifying and reporting situations of sexual abuse; thus contributing to the experience of motherhood as a conscious choice, free from coercion, which may or may not be part of a future project.
The Campaign also aims to raise awareness of the importance of sexual and reproductive autonomy through access to sexual education, knowledge of their bodies and the exercise of their sexuality in a pleasant and responsible manner.
The development of this campaign included research, surveys and dialogues with girls and young women who were mothers during adolescence, through conversation workshops and focus groups, as well as with adolescents who have not yet experienced motherhood. The campaign also engaged boys and young fathers who contributed with their views on fatherhood.