Forced motherhood Andrea Tuana
This article focuses on the problems of forced pregnancy and forced maternity among children and adolescents. Its aim is to shed light on the major infringement of rights involving motherhood at this stage of life, which is even worse when forced child pregnancy and forced child maternity are the result of sexual violence. A child is always a child, in any context, in any place and in any circumstances. A child should be able to live out her life in safety and affection, to experience, learn, grow, make mistakes, have fun, fall in love, love, desire, study, have friends, get bored, dream. Maternity at this stage of life constitutes an infringement of the human rights of girls and teenagers, as individuals who are growing, developing and in the process of maturing. The Pan American Health Organization (2018) has stated that maternity at this stage not only hinders girls’ psychosocial development, but is also related to poor health outcomes and a greater risk of maternal death. Pregnancy and childbirth complications are the leading causes of death in adolescents between 15 and 19 years old. The risk of maternal death is lower in mothers at around 20 years of age and highest in mothers who give birth before the age of 15.
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