Yvette Obunga: More effort needed to stop teen pregnancies

Cyclists fighting teen pregnacies

Collins Wekesa and Esther Mali who cycled with the aim of fighting teenage pregnancies and advocating for the rights of girls. The rate of teenage pregnancy in Kenya has hugely increased.

Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group

What you need to know:

  • Numbers by the Health ministry and the National Aids Control Council (NACC) show rising cases of new HIV infections and adolescent pregnancies.
  • Adolescents aged 10-19 account for 53 per cent of all sexual and gender-based violence cases as of last year and contributed to 61 per cent of all new adult HIV infections.

The rate of teenage pregnancy in Kenya has hugely increased. The latest official data show Kenya has the third-highest teenage pregnancies worldwide, with one in every five adolescents aged 15-19 already mothers or pregnant with their first child.

Numbers by the Health ministry and the National Aids Control Council (NACC) show rising HIV cases and adolescent pregnancies. Adolescents aged 10-19 account for 53 per cent of all sexual and gender-based violence cases as of last year and contributed to 61 per cent of all new adult HIV cases.

The rising trend of teenage pregnancies has affected the education sector, with many young girls dropping out of school. Parents spend huge resources on educating their children but end up leading miserable lives.

Causes

Major causes of teenage pregnancy include freedom given to children, especially girls; lack of parental care and guidance; poverty; urbanisation; and rapid changes in technology. Technology has messed up many pupils’ lives due to bad influence of the internet through mobile phones.

Tough economic times, too, are to blame. Many young girls, particularly from humble backgrounds, find it difficult to maintain menstrual hygiene during their monthly periods since they lack sanitary towels. They end up engaging in transactional sex, where they ‘sell’ their bodies for the pads, and end up pregnant.

Many students also engage in premarital sex out of peer pressure to fit in a certain social class. They watch vulgar content in the social media, such as pornographic photos and videos.

Having girls remain in school while pregnant until the time of giving birth has also contributed to these cases. Some of the girls end up getting pregnant more than once in their schooling life. The Education ministry should allow head teachers to send pregnant girls away from school as a deterrent measure.

Surveillance

Parents should monitor their child’s movements, especially during holidays, and give them proper guidance. They should also act as a good example to them.

The government can also provide basic necessities like sanitary towels to female students from humble backgrounds.

Political leaders who are about to be elected in various elective positions should consider girls' welfare. Poverty is making girls to undergo difficult situations, which sometimes end up regrettably.

Awareness of safe methods of family planning should be enhanced to ensure parents bear the number of children whom they can care for well.

Yvette Obunga, Narok