18 June 2010

Global leaders of 189 countries met in 2000 and signed the Millennium Declaration, declaring their commitment to attaining the Millennium Development Goals by 2015. These goals cover a wide range of social and economic indicators, including decreasing poverty by half and achieving universal primary education.

In support of the government of the Philippines, the United Nations has focused its work around the MDGs, addressing the needs of individuals, particularly those living in poverty and deprivation. Since 47 percent of the population in the Philippines are below 19 years of age, a critical element to helping young people out of poverty is providing them with the information to enable them to grow up healthy and enable them to make the right choices for themselves and their families.

The responsibility of providing this information to adolescents rests with the State, with teachers and with parents. As stated in the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) – the most widely signed international treaty – it is the obligation of States to ensure that all adolescent girls and boys are provided with accurate and appropriate information on how to protect their health and practice healthy behaviours.

As a signatory to the CRC, the Philippines, through the Department of Education, is taking this responsibility seriously and integrating into primary grades V and VI topics such as learning about the body, personal hygiene, coping with peer pressure and making responsible decisions. At secondary level, the teaching moves on to helping students understand the consequences of unplanned pregnancy, risky behaviours and the impact these have on their future.