The Voices Of Ghanaian Teenagers On The “Problem” Of Teenage Pregnancy In The Netherlands

Teenage pregnancy is an occurrence which can be found in almost all societies worldwide as teenagers by their nature are adventurous. Thus when they are confronted with their sexuality and become sexually active without being firstly prepared for the consequences that these may bring, often resulting in adverse consequences. While research has shown that the incidence of teenage pregnancy is higher in developing as opposed to developed countries, there exist some pockets of the developed world where the incidence of such pregnancy may be considered significant and therefore has an adverse effect on the youth. Of particular interest are migrant communities from developing countries who reside in developed countries. Many are caught between the two environments and cultures and are often unable to cope with the pressures that their sexual awakening brings, resulting in some cases in pregnancies. This is the situation that Ghanaian teenagers in Amsterdam find themselves. As the community’s size does not qualify it for the recognition required for them to be granted a “minority” status, they end up being lumped up with the other migrant communities whose numbers are greater, such as the Antilleans, Surinamese and Moroccans and included in interventions designed to meet the needs of these communities without any recognition being given to the distinction between such groups. Furthermore no cognizance is given to their views on issues that concern them, including the perspectives that the youth have on teenage pregnancy. This paper explored the situation of the Ghanaian teenagers in Amsterdam with regards to the incidence of teenage pregnancy and seeks to ascertain and analyze their views and perspectives on the subject with the view to providing recommendations on how best the welfare and situation of these youth may be enhanced.