Kenya has been ranked third globally as having high incidences of teenage pregnancies.
Data from demographic and health surveys shows that two out of 10 girls between the age of 15 and 19 years is pregnant or has a child already.
This is devastating because some of these teenagers end up not achieving their career goals. This may be due to various factors such as dropping out of school. Research shows that annually, over 13,000 girls drop out of school because of pregnancies.
In addition, early pregnancies in teenagers may lead to increase in death to both the mother and the child. According to WHO, pregnancy and child birth complications are the leading causes of deaths among girls aged 15 – 19 years globally.
However, teenage pregnancy may have increased due to factors such as lack of sex education. This is because of the rise of ignorance in talking to children about the prevention methods and abstainance especially.
Some teenagers and children might be curious to know more about it, thus making them check through the internet. With this, there is increase of children and teenagers visiting immoral sites such as ponography.
Parents and guardians should try to check and control their Children’s internet space and interaction. This is to prevent them from visiting sites that may affect them physically, emotionally and psychologically.
Additionally, men and boys should also be engaged as advocates against teenage pregnancies. This may increase the arrest of those found impregnating young girls. It would also increase the fight against teenage pregnancies, as men and boys are usually the culprits.
The government, activists, concerned children stakeholders and global personalities should try and help fight against teenage pregnancies in the world.
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