RECENT figures show that Scotland is failing in the battle against teenage pregnancy. But a groundbreaking women's organisation is trying a new approach.
RECENT figures show that Scotland is failing in the battle against teenage pregnancy. But a groundbreaking women's organisation is trying a new approach.
The Scottish Women's Convention (SWC) is the only group of its kind in the country and it aims to sit down with young women and discuss with them how to tackle this issue. As well as this, they want to break down the stigma surrounding teenage pregnancy.
The Scottish Women's Convention was set up by the Scottish Executive to ensure that women's voices are reaching the policy makers in Holyrood. They work to develop ways to ensure women in Scotland can influence the policies which affect them and their families.
Today, the SWC are holding an event in Dundee, the teenage pregnancy capital of Europe, which will be attended by local MSP and Public Health Minister, Shona Robison.
At the event, held at the Hilton Hotel, more than 100 young women from all over Scotland will take part in various workshops and round-table discussions designed to find out what young women think should be done to tackle the rising number of teenage pregnancies in Scotland.
Participants can put forward their own thoughts and ideas as well as being given the opportunity to question Ms Robison on what action the Government plan to take.
The Scottish Women's Convention's Chairperson, Agnes Tolmie, said: "The SWC considers this issue to be important and we believe the best way to tackle this is to include young women in the discussion process. This gives young women the opportunity to shape and influence the policy which will reduce the rates of teenage pregnancy in Scotland."
She went on to say: "Too many of our young women are missing out on educational and employment opportunities due to lack of support and this will have an adverse effect on not only their lives, but the lives of their children."
Pupils from Hillpark High School in Glasgow and Menzieshill High School in Dundee are amongst those that will be attending, as well as some young mothers who can share their own personal experience.
Dr Mary Hepburn, consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist at The Princess Royal Maternity in Glasgow, will also attend the conference to give the young women an insight into the health implications that may occur due to having children at an early age.
This new approach of bringing together young people, medical experts and politicians could prove to be key in tackling the rising number of teenage pregnancies and abortions in Scotland, which statistics for 2008 have revealed are on the rise.
Dundee has a particularly high number. In the Tayside city there are 71 pregnancies for every 1000 teenage girls, and figures show that teenage girls living in the most disadvantaged parts of Scotland are four times more likely to become pregnant than those in the country's most affluent areas.
As well as the highest pregnancy rate, NHS Tayside also had the highest abortion rate for all age groups in Scotland.
More than twice as many women in the poorest areas are having abortions, compared with those in the leafiest suburbs, suggesting that more must be done to target the former.
Ms Tolmie added: "While it is vital that we do all we can to tackle the issue of teenage pregnancy in Scotland, it is also important that we look at the other factors facing young women, such as poverty.
"Together, with the Government, we need to look at the bigger picture."
The Scottish Women's Convention will bring together all the views, opinions and issues that are raised at the conference and feed them back to the Scottish Government in the months that follow.
