The matter of teenage pregnancy will receive attention at the highest level of government, the Cabinet, the Deputy Minister of Social Development, Mrs Bongi Maria Ntuli, announced today. She was speaking during the commemoration of World Population Day at the North West University, Mahikeng, under the theme “Adolescent Pregnancy”.
“We are going to make recommendations on interventions and present them before Cabinet to reduce the levels of adolescent pregnancies in South Africa,” said Deputy Minister Ntuli.
World Population Day is an annual event, commemorated on 11 July throughout the world to raise awareness on the importance of population and related development issues. The Mahikeng event was hosted by the Department of Social Development, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and the North West government.
The deliberations at the gathering focused on what can be done to change or reverse the problem of adolescent pregnancy and how best the country can strengthen social relations between parents and their pregnant girl children.
Research findings presented at the event revealed that adolescent pregnancy created a gap between a girl child and her peers; and that in some instances parents negotiated forced marriages on behalf of their pregnant girl children, violating their constitutional rights in the process.
Addressing the attending delegates, Deputy Minister Ntuli pointed out that the issue of child pregnancy affects her personally because she is also a grandmother to many children. She applauded the United Nations Population Fund for choosing to tackle the issue of adolescent pregnancy.
“The issue of adolescent pregnancy is a matter that needs all our attention to find its root cause. You may be educated but your education is not worth enough if you are not making a difference in the area where you come from.
“Parents, community leaders and Faith Based Organisations (FBOs) must also play their part in moulding our children and instilling positive values. As we address this issue, we must also pay equal attention to both girls and boys children because they are equally affected by these challenges,” concluded Deputy Minister Ntuli.
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