Teen pregnancy is both a public health and education problem in Kenya.
The National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC) has now call for civic education to curb teenage pregnancy and early marriage.
NGEC wants communities to be informed of the existing laws and policies on child’s right.
According to the report submitted to the Education Ministry, chairperson Joyce Mutinda said that focus should especially be on reducing the vulnerability of children with disabilities.
She pointed out that such individuals are susceptible to the impact of their condition as well as child pregnancies.
“County governments should undertake advocacy and awareness programs to sensitize the community about this important issue,” she stated.
She stated that they should also ensure there are proper infrastructure in place to facilitate Gender Based Violence prevention and response.
She also explained that counties should “strengthen the drug abuse prevention and support programs developed by the National Authority Against Drug Abuse (NACADA) and scale up drug abuse and prevention programs in schools.”
Her sentiments come even as the government put on notice men impregnating teenagers, after more than ten candidates gave birth during their Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examinations that ended on Thursday, while some of the candidates were reported to have taken the exams while pregnant.
Parents are also urged to instill good discipline in their children through guidance and counseling to ensure such incidents are prevented.
Since it is the responsibility of parents to talk to their children and ensure that they do not engage in sexual relations at a tender age.
A United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) report on adolescent and teenage pregnancies in Kenya shows 378,397 girls aged 10 to 19 got pregnant between July 2016 and June this year. Some 28,932 girls aged 10-14 got pregnant, same as 349,465 in age 15-19.
Of the 47 counties, Narok had the highest rate of teenage pregnancies at 40 per cent, followed by Homa Bay (33) and Tana River (28).
Who is to blame on the high rate of teen pregnancies?