Samoan community leaders in New Zealand are being encouraged to openly discuss and support teenage pregnancies more.
A young woman in Samoa was being given a ten year-jail term for infanticide this week.
Her case is just one of a number of incidents within Samoan communities involving babies being abandoned at birth or infanticide.
Labour MP, Su'a William Sio. Photo: parliament
The Samoan Labour MP for Mangere, Aupito Su'a William Sio, said he's waiting to hear back from the police this week on whether they can provide a proper funeral for a child that was found in at an Auckland park.
Aupito said it's sad that a young woman, whoever she may be or whatever the circumstances are, felt the need to hide a pregnancy.
"There is a responsibility on church leaders, on our matais and our leaders of our families to provide that safe environment to have a open frank discussion about sex, about child birth, about the need to protect people in our community - the ones that we supposedly love very much."
Aupito said he encourages open mindedness among leaders when confronting this issue that can be hard to talk about.
