Kavango East recorded 860 learner pregnancies in 2021
Kavango East regional governor Bonifatius Wakudumo last week revealed that the region recorded at least 860 pregnancies amongst school-going learners, of which the youngest was an 11-year-old girl.
He made the remarks during the national commemoration of the International Day of the African Child held in Rundu.
He said the figure is a massive 35.8% increase from 2020’s 552 pregnancies.
“According to statistics, Kavango East recorded the highest number of teenage pregnancies in 2020 with 552 cases, and this further increased to 860 in 2021. This is an unfortunate situation that needs to be challenged by all of us seriously.
“Currently Kavango East is challenged by social issues affecting our children such as teenage pregnancy, child marriages, rape, child neglect and absent fathers and mothers, and in most cases, children are dumped in the care of their grandparents.”
Wakudumo called upon various stakeholders to ensure that these social issues facing young children are addressed.
Day of the African Child
The International Day of the African Child was commemorated under the theme ‘Eliminating Harmful Practices Affecting Children: Progress on Policy and Practice Since 2013’.
According to a speech read on behalf of gender equality, poverty eradication and child welfare minister Doreen Sioka, the ministry plans to host seminars with traditional authorities, children’s representatives and other key stakeholders to develop a strategy that will further address the elimination of child marriages as well as identify other harmful cultural practices within the country and within traditional communities.
“This will further strengthen collaboration with key partners in providing psychosocial interventions for survivors of child marriage and their dependants,” the speech read.
“The ministry is furthermore animating and translating the Child Care and Protection Act’s provisions into local languages to ensure that children are able to understand the law in their own terms. All these help the ministry to raise awareness on this year's theme.”
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He made the remarks during the national commemoration of the International Day of the African Child held in Rundu.
He said the figure is a massive 35.8% increase from 2020’s 552 pregnancies.
“According to statistics, Kavango East recorded the highest number of teenage pregnancies in 2020 with 552 cases, and this further increased to 860 in 2021. This is an unfortunate situation that needs to be challenged by all of us seriously.
“Currently Kavango East is challenged by social issues affecting our children such as teenage pregnancy, child marriages, rape, child neglect and absent fathers and mothers, and in most cases, children are dumped in the care of their grandparents.”
Wakudumo called upon various stakeholders to ensure that these social issues facing young children are addressed.
Day of the African Child
The International Day of the African Child was commemorated under the theme ‘Eliminating Harmful Practices Affecting Children: Progress on Policy and Practice Since 2013’.
According to a speech read on behalf of gender equality, poverty eradication and child welfare minister Doreen Sioka, the ministry plans to host seminars with traditional authorities, children’s representatives and other key stakeholders to develop a strategy that will further address the elimination of child marriages as well as identify other harmful cultural practices within the country and within traditional communities.
“This will further strengthen collaboration with key partners in providing psychosocial interventions for survivors of child marriage and their dependants,” the speech read.
“The ministry is furthermore animating and translating the Child Care and Protection Act’s provisions into local languages to ensure that children are able to understand the law in their own terms. All these help the ministry to raise awareness on this year's theme.”
[email protected]
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