OPINION: Deputies sidestep Pope’s sex education call

Pope Francis supported the need to offer sex education in schools, so that young people have the appropriate information to make responsible decisions. According to the Ministry of Health, in 2018, 10 440 girls and adolescents between 10 and 19 years became pregnant. This figure is higher than in 2017, which was 9 thousand 912, a difference of 528 pregnant young women. Statistics exclude figures from the Social Security Fund, private clinics and young people outside of health systems. This situation has been aggravated since in the quinquennium 2014-2018, the Minsa reports 53,361 cases. Since 2008, it has not been possible to pass legislation in Panama that would allow sex education in official schools. Although the most recent project, already received the support of the pro-family Alliance and other groups, the deputies refused to give the second debate. Girls and young people in Panama have the right to be educated and to live in health, early sexuality and lack of information are threats for the whole society. The pure political calculation has made our deputies more papist than the pope.- LA  PRENSA Feb, 13