Enduring Adolescent Right to Reproductive Health through an RH Law

Adolescents have a right to reproductive health, including access to modern contraceptives and sexuality education. The rights of adolescents to adolescent reproductive health (ARH) are gravely affected by the delayed enactment of a Reproductive Health Care Law (RH law). Any restriction on adolescent access to contraceptive information and services will prove to be detrimental to the physical, mental, and psychological well-being of adolescents. Increased access ARH education and information and services on modern contraceptive methods will reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies, eliminate the need for abortion, and prevent maternal deaths. The rights of adolescents to contraceptive information and services must be upheld. Adolescents must be empowered and capacitated according to their evolving capacities as recognized by the Convention of the Rights of the Child (CRC) of, which the Philippines is a state party and is duty-bound to fulfill.