KOTA KINABALU: Teenage pregnancies and early marriages remain Sabah's main social challenges due to cultural pressure, poverty and lack of sex education.
Sabah community development and people's wellbeing assistant minister Datuk Flovia Ng said this issue, if not addressed, would perpetuate the cycle of poverty and educational attrition in Sabah.
"This would affect the development of our youth," she said when officiating the Sabah Population Seminar in conjunction with the World Population Day here on Thursday (July 31).
She said the increase in unplanned pregnancies and emotional stress amongst young mothers needs targeted intervention initiatives, comprehensive reproductive health education and easy access to inclusive counselling services.
Ng said integrated programmes such as those on child marriages are vital to create awareness in the community while educating parents and children.
She added that the socio-economic gap between urban and rural folk was still apparent, with many facing numerous issues such as lack of basic infrastructure, education, healthcare and job opportunities.
