Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/972198
16 maltatoday SUNDAY 22 APRIL 2018 News TIA RELJIC THREE Maltese adolescents be- tween the ages of 10 and 14 gave birth in 2016, on par with the pre- vious year, Eurostat figures have revealed. Between 2001 and 2016, a total 55 mothers under the age of 14 gave birth in Malta, with a staggering nine in 2008 alone. In the vast majority of the cases, the mother was of Maltese nationality. A healthcare worker who did not wish to be named told MaltaToday that the rates for adolescent preg- nancies in Malta were high because there is no access to abortion. But it seems there is little concern about the physical implications of a 10-year-old being forced to give birth, instead focusing on the social impacts a young pregnancy would have. "First time pregnancies are problematic for both adults and chil- dren," one source, a midwife said, ex- plaining that adolescent mothers are 'normal' in other cultures. An officer in charge of Servizz Ghozza, a support service for preg- nant minors, Melanie Bonavia, told MaltaToday that from her experi- ence with young mothers, as well as from research, adolescent mums struggle with a number of issues. "I believe one of the main chal- lenges around teenage pregnancy involves the difficulty to strike a balance between their needs as ado- lescents and their responsibility as mothers," she said, listing financial difficulties, housing arrangements, legal issues, and lack of support from family members as well as abusive relationships with partners as signifi- cant problems in these cases. But when asked whether the sup- port service is aware of any requests for terminations of pregnancy for girls in this age group, or whether they ever get asked for advice, Bo- navia was anything but straightfor- ward, instead emphasising that the purpose of the service is to provide "support to young mothers at what- ever stage they are in." "Young mothers often feel lost and fearful and wonder whether they will be capable to take on such respon- sibilities given their tender age. Yet still we work with the girls where they are at, we process their fears and anxiety through counselling and try to build a network of support that helps them feel they are not alone in this." According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), complica- tions during pregnancy and child- birth are the leading cause of death for teenage girls globally. Adolescent mothers as young as 10 years old are at higher risks of preg- nancy disorders and systemic infec- tions than adult mothers, according to the WHO, and although some very young girls can get pregnant, it is understood that they are at high risk of complications due to the fact that their pelvic bones are not yet fully developed. Last year, international uproar en- sued after a 10-year-old girl in India was denied permission to terminate a pregnancy by a court, as she was found to be 26 weeks' pregnant – above the legal ceiling for abortions in the country. The number of births per year, on average, by mothers between the age of 10 and 14 in Malta is comparable to countries such as Ireland – which has 10x the population. The Women's Rights Foundation told MaltaToday that the high rate of teen pregnancies in Malta is prob- ably due to a lack of access to abor- tion. "However, this is also affected by the fact that we lack awareness in sex education and access to con- traception," lawyer and chairperson Lara Dimitrijevic said. "In countries such as Holland where sex education starts from a very young age and there is effective access to contraception, research shows that both the rates of teen pregnancies and abortion rates can be drastically lowered." When contacted by this newspa- per, a representative of the Malta Midwives Association declined to comment on the matter. A request for comment to the President of the Association was not yet answered by the time this article went to print. A number of social workers also re- fused to comment on record. Abortion is taboo with healthcare workers even for adolescent mums Total number of girls between the age of 11-14 who gave birth 2007-2016 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Belgium 17.0 23.0 24 22 26 20 20 10 20 16 Denmark 3.0 1.0 2 4 2 1 0 3 1 0 Estonia 5.0 2 3 0 1 1 1 1 2 5 Spain 147 177 124 130 145 143 139 136 98 110 Lithuania 11 12 7 4 10 3 6 11 8 6 Malta 4 8 6 5 0 3 3 0 3 3 Netherlands 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Austria 6 7 14 17 11 7 10 15 15 8 Slovenia 1 2 1 1 1 3 3 1 2 2 Finland 2 4 4 3 2 4 3 1 6 1 Sweden 6 7 3 8 5 5 4 5 4 7 UK 237 228 195 221 178 195 146 142 114 109 Iceland 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 Norway 4 4 1 3 2 2 2 1 0 1 Montenegro - 5 - 5 5 - 3 3 2 3 Czech Republic - - - - - - 9 6 13 14 Croatia - - - - - - 6 5 5 5 Luxembourg - - - 1 0 0 2 2 1 0 Hungary - - - - - - 90 63 79 75 Portugal - - - 56 59 - 53 45 44 43 Poland - - - - - - 48 51 55 48 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Belgium 17.0 23.0 24 22 26 20 20 10 20 16 Denmark 3.0 1.0 2 4 2 1 0 3 1 0 Estonia 5.0 2 3 0 1 1 1 1 2 5 Spain 147 177 124 130 145 143 139 136 98 110 Lithuania 11 12 7 4 10 3 6 11 8 6 Malta 4 8 6 5 0 3 3 0 3 3 Netherlands 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Austria 6 7 14 17 11 7 10 15 15 8 Slovenia 1 2 1 1 1 3 3 1 2 2 Finland 2 4 4 3 2 4 3 1 6 1 Sweden 6 7 3 8 5 5 4 5 4 7 UK 237 228 195 221 178 195 146 142 114 109 Iceland 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 Norway 4 4 1 3 2 2 2 1 0 1 Montenegro - 5 - 5 5 - 3 3 2 3 Czech Republic - - - - - - 9 6 13 14 Croatia - - - - - - 6 5 5 5 Luxembourg - - - 1 0 0 2 2 1 0 Hungary - - - - - - 90 63 79 75 Portugal - - - 56 59 - 53 45 44 43 Poland - - - - - - 48 51 55 48 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Belgium 17.0 23.0 24 22 26 20 20 10 20 16 Denmark 3.0 1.0 2 4 2 1 0 3 1 0 Estonia 5.0 2 3 0 1 1 1 1 2 5 Spain 147 177 124 130 145 143 139 136 98 110 Lithuania 11 12 7 4 10 3 6 11 8 6 Malta 4 8 6 5 0 3 3 0 3 3 Netherlands 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Austria 6 7 14 17 11 7 10 15 15 8 Slovenia 1 2 1 1 1 3 3 1 2 2 Finland 2 4 4 3 2 4 3 1 6 1 Sweden 6 7 3 8 5 5 4 5 4 7 UK 237 228 195 221 178 195 146 142 114 109 Iceland 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 Norway 4 4 1 3 2 2 2 1 0 1 Montenegro - 5 - 5 5 - 3 3 2 3 Czech Republic - - - - - - 9 6 13 14 Croatia - - - - - - 6 5 5 5 Luxembourg - - - 1 0 0 2 2 1 0 Hungary - - - - - - 90 63 79 75 Portugal - - - 56 59 - 53 45 44 43 Poland - - - - - - 48 51 55 48 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Belgium 17.0 23.0 24 22 26 20 20 10 20 16 Denmark 3.0 1.0 2 4 2 1 0 3 1 0 Estonia 5.0 2 3 0 1 1 1 1 2 5 Spain 147 177 124 130 145 143 139 136 98 110 Lithuania 11 12 7 4 10 3 6 11 8 6 Malta 4 8 6 5 0 3 3 0 3 3 Netherlands 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Austria 6 7 14 17 11 7 10 15 15 8 Slovenia 1 2 1 1 1 3 3 1 2 2 Finland 2 4 4 3 2 4 3 1 6 1 Sweden 6 7 3 8 5 5 4 5 4 7 UK 237 228 195 221 178 195 146 142 114 109 Iceland 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 Norway 4 4 1 3 2 2 2 1 0 1 Montenegro - 5 - 5 5 - 3 3 2 3 Czech Republic - - - - - - 9 6 13 14 Croatia - - - - - - 6 5 5 5 Luxembourg - - - 1 0 0 2 2 1 0 Hungary - - - - - - 90 63 79 75 Portugal - - - 56 59 - 53 45 44 43 Poland - - - - - - 48 51 55 48 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Belgium 17.0 23.0 24 22 26 20 20 10 20 16 Denmark 3.0 1.0 2 4 2 1 0 3 1 0 Estonia 5.0 2 3 0 1 1 1 1 2 5 Spain 147 177 124 130 145 143 139 136 98 110 Lithuania 11 12 7 4 10 3 6 11 8 6 Malta 4 8 6 5 0 3 3 0 3 3 Netherlands 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Austria 6 7 14 17 11 7 10 15 15 8 Slovenia 1 2 1 1 1 3 3 1 2 2 Finland 2 4 4 3 2 4 3 1 6 1 Sweden 6 7 3 8 5 5 4 5 4 7 UK 237 228 195 221 178 195 146 142 114 109 Iceland 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 Norway 4 4 1 3 2 2 2 1 0 1 Montenegro - 5 - 5 5 - 3 3 2 3 Czech Republic - - - - - - 9 6 13 14 Croatia - - - - - - 6 5 5 5 Luxembourg - - - 1 0 0 2 2 1 0 Hungary - - - - - - 90 63 79 75 Portugal - - - 56 59 - 53 45 44 43 Poland - - - - - - 48 51 55 48 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Belgium 17.0 23.0 24 22 26 20 20 10 20 16 Denmark 3.0 1.0 2 4 2 1 0 3 1 0 Estonia 5.0 2 3 0 1 1 1 1 2 5 Spain 147 177 124 130 145 143 139 136 98 110 Lithuania 11 12 7 4 10 3 6 11 8 6 Malta 4 8 6 5 0 3 3 0 3 3 Netherlands 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Austria 6 7 14 17 11 7 10 15 15 8 Slovenia 1 2 1 1 1 3 3 1 2 2 Finland 2 4 4 3 2 4 3 1 6 1 Sweden 6 7 3 8 5 5 4 5 4 7 UK 237 228 195 221 178 195 146 142 114 109 Iceland 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 Norway 4 4 1 3 2 2 2 1 0 1 Montenegro - 5 - 5 5 - 3 3 2 3 Czech Republic - - - - - - 9 6 13 14 Croatia - - - - - - 6 5 5 5 Luxembourg - - - 1 0 0 2 2 1 0 Hungary - - - - - - 90 63 79 75 Portugal - - - 56 59 - 53 45 44 43 Poland - - - - - - 48 51 55 48 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Belgium 17.0 23.0 24 22 26 20 20 10 20 16 Denmark 3.0 1.0 2 4 2 1 0 3 1 0 Estonia 5.0 2 3 0 1 1 1 1 2 5 Spain 147 177 124 130 145 143 139 136 98 110 Lithuania 11 12 7 4 10 3 6 11 8 6 Malta 4 8 6 5 0 3 3 0 3 3 Netherlands 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Austria 6 7 14 17 11 7 10 15 15 8 Slovenia 1 2 1 1 1 3 3 1 2 2 Finland 2 4 4 3 2 4 3 1 6 1 Sweden 6 7 3 8 5 5 4 5 4 7 UK 237 228 195 221 178 195 146 142 114 109 Iceland 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 Norway 4 4 1 3 2 2 2 1 0 1 Montenegro - 5 - 5 5 - 3 3 2 3 Czech Republic - - - - - - 9 6 13 14 Croatia - - - - - - 6 5 5 5 Luxembourg - - - 1 0 0 2 2 1 0 Hungary - - - - - - 90 63 79 75 Portugal - - - 56 59 - 53 45 44 43 Poland - - - - - - 48 51 55 48 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Belgium 17.0 23.0 24 22 26 20 20 10 20 16 Denmark 3.0 1.0 2 4 2 1 0 3 1 0 Estonia 5.0 2 3 0 1 1 1 1 2 5 Spain 147 177 124 130 145 143 139 136 98 110 Lithuania 11 12 7 4 10 3 6 11 8 6 Malta 4 8 6 5 0 3 3 0 3 3 Netherlands 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Austria 6 7 14 17 11 7 10 15 15 8 Slovenia 1 2 1 1 1 3 3 1 2 2 Finland 2 4 4 3 2 4 3 1 6 1 Sweden 6 7 3 8 5 5 4 5 4 7 UK 237 228 195 221 178 195 146 142 114 109 Iceland 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 Norway 4 4 1 3 2 2 2 1 0 1 Montenegro - 5 - 5 5 - 3 3 2 3 Czech Republic - - - - - - 9 6 13 14 Croatia - - - - - - 6 5 5 5 Luxembourg - - - 1 0 0 2 2 1 0 Hungary - - - - - - 90 63 79 75 Portugal - - - 56 59 - 53 45 44 43 Poland - - - - - - 48 51 55 48 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Belgium 17.0 23.0 24 22 26 20 20 10 20 16 Denmark 3.0 1.0 2 4 2 1 0 3 1 0 Estonia 5.0 2 3 0 1 1 1 1 2 5 Spain 147 177 124 130 145 143 139 136 98 110 Lithuania 11 12 7 4 10 3 6 11 8 6 Malta 4 8 6 5 0 3 3 0 3 3 Netherlands 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Austria 6 7 14 17 11 7 10 15 15 8 Slovenia 1 2 1 1 1 3 3 1 2 2 Finland 2 4 4 3 2 4 3 1 6 1 Sweden 6 7 3 8 5 5 4 5 4 7 UK 237 228 195 221 178 195 146 142 114 109 Iceland 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 Norway 4 4 1 3 2 2 2 1 0 1 Montenegro - 5 - 5 5 - 3 3 2 3 Czech Republic - - - - - - 9 6 13 14 Croatia - - - - - - 6 5 5 5 Luxembourg - - - 1 0 0 2 2 1 0 Hungary - - - - - - 90 63 79 75 Portugal - - - 56 59 - 53 45 44 43 Poland - - - - - - 48 51 55 48 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Belgium 17.0 23.0 24 22 26 20 20 10 20 16 Denmark 3.0 1.0 2 4 2 1 0 3 1 0 Estonia 5.0 2 3 0 1 1 1 1 2 5 Spain 147 177 124 130 145 143 139 136 98 110 Lithuania 11 12 7 4 10 3 6 11 8 6 Malta 4 8 6 5 0 3 3 0 3 3 Netherlands 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Austria 6 7 14 17 11 7 10 15 15 8 Slovenia 1 2 1 1 1 3 3 1 2 2 Finland 2 4 4 3 2 4 3 1 6 1 Sweden 6 7 3 8 5 5 4 5 4 7 UK 237 228 195 221 178 195 146 142 114 109 Iceland 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 Norway 4 4 1 3 2 2 2 1 0 1 Montenegro - 5 - 5 5 - 3 3 2 3 Czech Republic - - - - - - 9 6 13 14 Croatia - - - - - - 6 5 5 5 Luxembourg - - - 1 0 0 2 2 1 0 Hungary - - - - - - 90 63 79 75 Portugal - - - 56 59 - 53 45 44 43 Poland - - - - - - 48 51 55 48 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Belgium 17.0 23.0 24 22 26 20 20 10 20 16 Denmark 3.0 1.0 2 4 2 1 0 3 1 0 Estonia 5.0 2 3 0 1 1 1 1 2 5 Spain 147 177 124 130 145 143 139 136 98 110 Lithuania 11 12 7 4 10 3 6 11 8 6 Malta 4 8 6 5 0 3 3 0 3 3 Netherlands 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Austria 6 7 14 17 11 7 10 15 15 8 Slovenia 1 2 1 1 1 3 3 1 2 2 Finland 2 4 4 3 2 4 3 1 6 1 Sweden 6 7 3 8 5 5 4 5 4 7 UK 237 228 195 221 178 195 146 142 114 109 Iceland 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 Norway 4 4 1 3 2 2 2 1 0 1 Montenegro - 5 - 5 5 - 3 3 2 3 Czech Republic - - - - - - 9 6 13 14 Croatia - - - - - - 6 5 5 5 Luxembourg - - - 1 0 0 2 2 1 0 Hungary - - - - - - 90 63 79 75 Portugal - - - 56 59 - 53 45 44 43 Poland - - - - - - 48 51 55 48 MASSIMO COSTA THERE have been 18 adoptions of Maltese children since 2012, five of which involved children aged under three, Agenzija Ap- pogg, the agency in charge of adoption ser- vices, told this newspaper. Asked about the number of children en- trusted to them, the Ursuline Sisters, who cater for children who are put into care, said they currently had around 75 children within their four homes, some of whom were newborn babies. Sister Martine Cauchi, a residential social worker at the Ursuline Homes, said that there is a whole spectrum of situations why children, who come from all ages and back- grounds, enter into their care, however it was normally preferable to find some way of resolving the issues preventing the chil- dren from being with their parents rather than for them to be adopted. "Some children enter our homes for long- term placements, while others already have a plan in place for them to eventually go to a foster family. On rare occasions, the chil- dren are later adopted. However, adoption is only an option when there is absolutely no way for the family conflict/issues to be resolved," she said. "The Ursuline Homes work hand in hand with Agenzija Appogg, and the numbers of placements we have vary from year to year, as do the reasons for the placement and the age of the children when placed into care." "Placements are pretty constant, however they sometimes seem to happen in waves, for some reason or another. There are times when there are hardly any new place- ments, and times when there is a sudden increase," she highlighted. Families of the children of who are placed into care at the homes, are often in very bad social and psychological situations, she ex- plained. "Families and individuals often find themselves in near-desperate situations of poverty, addiction, imprisonment, mental health issues, and so on. Such situations push parents to take decisions about the welfare of their children, often sacrificing their own well-being for the benefit of their children," she emphasised. "At times children are put into care until the main caregiver receives medical treat- ment, is in a rehabilitation program, or serving a prison sentence." "All these situations are however followed by Agenzija Appogg, and we keep a profes- sional, open working relationship with the agency for the best benefit of the children in our care," Sister Martine added. While adoption of local children in Malta is possible, the majority of adoptions which take place are from overseas. Individuals, or at least one member of a couple, who wish to adopt, must be at least 28 years old, and there cannot be an age- discrepancy of more than 45 years between the child and any one of the adoptive par- ents. Unmarried couples who are cohabiting unofficially cannot adopt a child together, with only one person from the couple being allowed to adopt, and the other having no rights or obligations over the child. Gay couples who are married or in a civil union can also adopt. The first adoption by two men was approved by the Family Court in 2016. mcosta@mediatoday.com.mt 18 Maltese children adopted since 2012, but resolving child's family's problems is preferred