Critical perspectives in the making: early pregnancy among young people in Nieva, Amazonas

This study analyses how young people in Nieva, a district in the Peruvian Amazon, understand sexuality and early pregnancy, and how their views are influenced by key adults in their lives in a context of social violence. This qualitative investigation adopted a decolonial feminist approach and involved 30 individual interviews with secondary school young people (aged 14-18 years), their teachers and mothers. Workshops were also held with 140 young people in the same locality. The findings show that young people critique unequal gender relationships inside and outside their school, and they recognise the risks present in Nieva, including the exposure to drugs, alcohol, and violence. However, they attribute cases of early pregnancy to young people's lack of responsibility, a belief shared by their teachers and mothers. The sexuality education provided by the school focused on preventing sexually transmitted infections and early pregnancy while overlooking the socioemotional aspects of sexual and romantic relationships. Nevertheless, students were found to have the personal resources and agency to denounce everyday forms of gender inequality and demand change. The findings highlight the need to foster critical engagement with gender relationships by providing young people with tools to analyse and confront those relationships that are unequal.