The Religion and Public Values Program of the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy seeks to catalyze a national discussion on the role of religion and values in teen pregnancy prevention, to reach out to faith communities as partners in helping teens, and to reduce the polarizing conflict about preventing teen pregnancy that too often impedes action in communities across the nation.

Over its six-year history, the National Campaign has tried to encourage faith-based groups in the important work they are already doing for young people, to convince community-based leaders focused on preventing teen pregnancy to see religious institutions as allies, and to bring together local religious and secular leaders to do more to reduce adolescent pregnancy. We've convened local meetings in cities around the country, distributed publications targeted both to religious and secular leaders, and given presentations at meetings of secular leaders about the importance of collaborating with religious groups. Religious groups nationwide have demonstrated that the problem can be addressed on many different levels and that even the most modest effort can make a real difference in the lives of teens.

The National Campaign believes that faith leaders and religious organizations are in a unique position to make a difference in preventing teen pregnancy:

• Research and survey data both show that religious faith and a strong moral sense play important roles in protecting young people from too-early sexual activity, teen pregnancy and other risky behaviors
  
  
• Teens cite morals, values, and/or religious beliefs as the factors that most affect their decisions about sex, according to survey data released by the National Campaign.
  
  
• When asked who most influences their sexual decisions, however, only six percent of teens said ministers, rabbis, or other religious leaders. This disconnect does not suggest that teens and their parents do not want faith leaders to be involved on this issue - in fact, just the opposite is true.
  
  
• The overwhelming majority of teens (72%) and adults (75%) want more involvement from churches and other houses of worship in teen pregnancy prevention, according to National Campaign polling.