Programme Director,
The MEC for Social Development, Women, Children and People with Disabilities in the North West, The Honourable Collen Maine MPL
Chief Director at the National Department of Social Development, Mr Jacques van Zuydam UNDP
Representatives of international development organisation, and the UN
Officials from all spheres of government
Members of the media
Ladies and gentlemen.
Good morning!
It is a pleasure to join you this morning as we observe World Population Day. I must admit that the theme, “Adolescent Pregnancies”, is a worrying but is one of the realities of the age we live in. I must admit that as a grandmother of several young people this is one of the issues I take a personal interest in.
I do take this opportunity to applaud the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) on selecting a pertinent theme as it reflects a contemporary universal population and development challenge.
The issue of adolescent pregnancies is a complex matter and has multiple contributing factors that is common knowledge to many of us.
In the same manner there must be multiple responses to this serious challenge facing not only our country but many other countries. We seek lasting solutions, not quick fix ones. We therefore look to opportunities like this one where we gather to seek ways to address the issue of adolescent pregnancies.
The Department of Social Development envisions a prosperous society where a girl child’s rights and welfare are protected by society, government and herself. It envisions a country where a girl child is given equal opportunities to fulfil her potential, and immensely contribute to the brighter future of the nation.
The census 2011 results of South Africa show that there are over 9.6 million adolescents, of which 4.8 million are girls. This means that 18.5 percent of the South African population are adolescents between the ages of 10 and 19 years.
This means that young people are going to determine the fate of this country. These are the people who will be instrumental in building this country towards prosperity but only if we invest in their education, in their health including sexual and reproductive health and we make sure that they are given equal opportunities to develop to their full potential.
However, for millions of adolescents, this sadly, is not the case.
Ladies and gentlemen, as I said earlier adolescent pregnancy is a complex phenomenon. It is a symptom of a bigger societal sickness. Adolescent pregnancy is not just a health issue, it is a development issue.
It is deeply rooted in poverty, gender inequality, violence, child and forced marriage, power imbalances between adolescent girls and their male partners, lack of education, and the failure of systems and institutions to protect their rights.
However, all is not doom and gloom in spite of these multiple challenges, there has been a decrease in adolescent pregnancies and fertility between 1980 and 2012. The number is still high but there seems to be light at the end of the tunnel.
One of the responses fully supported by the Department of Social Development and Government as a whole is access to education and health as a key priority. Of course all this is underpinned by progressive legislation starting from our Constitution to the Child Act and others that gives rights of empowerment and choice.
Ladies and gentlemen, the matter of extreme concern is that adolescents still seek the services those who practice backstreet abortions. Of course, this often with fatal consequences for these young people. This is not an area we are going to be judgemental about but we have to give young girls information and support regarding the choices available to them regarding termination of pregnancy. This does not only have health implications but psycho-social implications as well.
The health and wellbeing of young people also shows the extent to which a country can achieve its development goals, as young people represent the human capital of any country. A healthy lifestyle of adolescents is an important requirement for the success youth in the future.
Ladies and gentlemen, I cannot stress enough that education is a critical element of youth’s skills and capacity development. Although South Africa has a liberal policy that allows pregnant girls to proceed with their education it is a known fact that despite this intervention, many pregnant girls do not return to school.
The Department of Social Development has initiated programmes like the youth camps, the programme on change agents, the Isibindi project and the Integrated Development Programme that aims to restore self esteem in girls, as well as boys, to be focused on their lives and make sound judgements with regards their sexuality. We hope, this would support other education and health endeavours to keep girls in school longer and avoid pregnancies. Abstinence should naturally be the first choice.
I think we will all be in agreement on what has to be done. I am not the expert on that and that is part of the reason why today’s activities is linked to a bigger programme related to Adolescent Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights.
The challenge is as always, how do we work in an integrated manner, how do we complement one another’s work, not only amongst departments but even inside the department. How do we use the extensive knowledge that exists in organisations such as the Population Association of Southern Africa, the United Nations Population Fund and many others.
Given the complexity of adolescent pregnancies, the government alone cannot deal with this phenomenon. It calls for a collaborative partnerships and multi-sectoral approach at all levels of society, including adolescents themselves, parents, community leaders, traditional leaders, inter-faith communities, and all government structures. Whilst measures have been taken to deal with the matter, a lot more still need to be done.
Ladies and gentlemen, in order to rise to the challenge presented by adolescent pregnancy we have to include young boys in the discussions and programs. While we acknowledge that it is often young and older men who impregnate young girls it can only assist if we target adolescent boys in our programmes. The benefits of this are obvious.
The Department of Social Development campaign on Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (ASRHR), was inaugurated by Minister and Deputy Minister of Social Development on 11 July 2011. This was followed by research in provinces on the factors associated with teenage pregnancy in South Africa.
Complementing the research were also community dialogue sessions with young people and local level stakeholders. The research results and issues from the dialogues will inform the National Framework Strategy on ASRHR, which hopefully will be tabled in September 2013.
I do hope that before the launch of the research results and the National Framework Strategy on ASRHR, the Department of Social Development will hold an Indaba with all the stakeholders, to which all will be invited. Let me once more congratulate the North West province for hosting this event, in particular the University of North West.
I do thank you all.
