Free Condoms for Children Don’t Reduce Unplanned Pregnancies

14 November 2013

Media Release

Free Condoms for Children Don’t Reduce Unplanned Pregnancies and Abortions

The Hawkes Bay District Health Board is providing teenagers as young as 12 with free condoms with the objective of reducing teenage pregnancies and abortions. The scheme has not yet been evaluated and may be introduced nationally. New Zealand has one of the highest rates of teenage pregnancies in the Western world. There were 6,000 teenagers who were pregnant in 2012. This is a very serious social problem.The Abortion Supervisory Committee reported to Parliament in its 2012 report, that 4,470 women who had an abortion in 2011 were relying on condoms at the time of the conception of their unborn child. 

The program is morally bankrupt. The State, with the encouragement of Family Planning is giving teenagers the false message that it is acceptable for them to engage in sexual intercourse with who ever -they like. It is your right to choose to be promiscuous. Your parents have no right to know and you don’t need their consent.

Why is the government continuing to promote failed solutions of more sex education and increased access to contraception? It is resulting in more teenage pregnancies, more abortions and more STIs. When is the government going to stop listening to Family Planning with their plans for our children and start listening to parents? The government is putting petrol on the fire. Studies completed in the United States reveal that children not exposed to comprehensive sex education are more chaste than are children who are exposed to comprehensive sex education. States that have laws protecting parental knowledge and consent have lower rates of sexually active teenagers.

Teenagers who are chaste do not have unplanned pregnancies, abortions or STIs. The cause of the problem is the availability of contraception, abortions and comprehensive sex education.  The solution is abstinence based sex education and allowing parents to exercise their responsibilities in the care of their children. This will be achieved by amending the law to restore the right of parents to exercise their responsibilities towards their children, with parental knowledge and consent concerning contraception and abortion.

State legislatures in the United States of America are becoming increasingly aware of the damage that Planned Parenthood in America is doing in their communities promoting sex education, contraception and abortion and are withdrawing state funding. Family Planning is a sister affiliate with Planned Parenthood in the International Planned Parenthood Federation.

When is the government going to stop funding Family Planning with $12 million annually? 

Overseas experience with similar programmes of free condoms reveals that they result in increased pregnancies and abortions. The British Medical Journal in 2008 published an evaluation of a $5 million sex education initiative, named the Young People’s Development Programme. This programme focused on sexually active young girls who were given intensive health education and free condoms in the hope that this would enable them to avoid unprotected sex. Sadly, it did not result in a lower rate of teenage pregnancies. Our teenagers need the love, care and wise directions of parents, supported by the State, not condoms.

Ken Orr

Spokesperson,

Right to Life,

ENDS

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