Child pregnancy, marriage shock

Namibia has shown no progress in improving conditions for children according to a new global index which ranked Namibia 110th out of 175 countries. The latest figures indicate that a staggering 7.6% of our girls aged 15 to 19 are mothers and of these, 5% are married.Save the Children released its second annual End of Childhood index which takes a hard look at the events that rob children of their childhood and prevent them from reaching their full potential.According to the index, Namibia maintained the same position as last year, again scoring 777, and therefore, no progress was made. The index compares countries through a set of indicators representing life-changing events that signal the disruption of childhood such as poor health, malnutrition, exclusion from education, child labour, child marriage, early pregnancy and extreme violence.Singapore and Slovenia tied for top place in the ranking with scores of 987. Niger ranks last among countries surveyed, scoring 388.The report points out that 76.2 per 1 000 girls between the ages of 15 to 19 in Namibia have given birth. Just last year, Namibian Sun reported that more than 7 500 pregnant schoolgirls dropped out of school between 2014 and 2016.Statistics provided by the education ministry indicated that almost 4 000 teenagers left school because of pregnancy in 2016 compared to 1 843 in 2015 and 1 797 in 2014.According to the index, the global number of adolescent pregnancies is set to increase. It says projections indicate that the number of girls under 18 giving birth each year will increase globally from about 7.8 million to 8.8 million by 2030. The greatest proportional increases are likely to be in sub-Saharan Africa.It adds that complications during pregnancy and childbirth represent the number-one killer of girls aged 15 to 19 worldwide, and 12 million girls marry each year before they reach the age of 18.With regards to Namibia, 5.4% of girls aged between ages 15 to 19 are currently married. In 2015 it was reported that 1 669 boys and 3 828 girls have become victims of child marriages in Namibia, after having been married off in traditional ceremonies. However, a new study is needed on child marriages in the country as there is a lack of data on the matter. The report says that without further reductions, more than 150 million girls will marry before their 18th birthday by 2030. “Sub-Saharan Africa is now home to close to one in three of these child brides, compared to one in five a decade ago. Despite global progress, no region is on track to eliminate child marriage by 2030. In sub-Saharan Africa, due to population growth, the number of child brides will rise unless the rate of decline more than doubles.”Furthermore survival gaps in sub-Saharan Africa have increased, as progress in saving lives has favoured better-off children. According to the index no region is on track to close its child mortality gap by 2030, and most will not achieve equity in under-five mortality rates between the poorest and richest households - even by 2050.Namibia's under-five mortality rate is 45.2 per 1 000 live births, while the country's child homicide rate stands at 3.7 per 100 000. The index says that child labour rates have risen in sub-Saharan Africa. From 2012 to 2016, child labour in sub-Saharan Africa rose from 21 to 22%, while all other regions achieved declines. The region has also been among those most affected by conflict and poverty, which heighten the risk of child labour. Far too many girls, especially those from the poorest families, still face discrimination and exclusion with respect to basic education, child marriage, early pregnancy, sexual violence and unrecognised domestic work. The index did not have statistics available with regards to child labour in Namibia. Studies have found that child labour in Namibia can be linked to severe poverty, ignorance of the benefits of education, and a lack of understanding on what constitutes child labour and its harmful impact on the development of children and communities.According to the 2016 findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labour report, Namibia made a moderate advancement in efforts to eliminate forms of child labour.These findings note that children in Namibia perform the dangerous task of cattle herding and also engage in what the report labels the 'worst forms of child labour', which includes sexual exploitation - sometimes as a result of human trafficking.According to the report, the key legislative gap is that hazardous work prohibitions in the agricultural sector are not comprehensive. It says children aged between five and 14, form part of the working population in Namibia. However, there is no data available to show the percentage of the population involved. The report adds that children in Namibia are tending and herding livestock, doing domestic work, working in shebeens and working on the streets selling cellphone vouchers and handcrafts.ELLANIE SMIT

Child pregnancy, marriage shock

Comments

Namibian Sun 2025-09-16

Please login to leave a comment

Child pregnancy, marriage shock

Comments

Namibian Sun 2025-09-16

Please login to leave a comment

Login