EDITORIAL: Combating teenage pregnancies is a shared responsibility

The government has launched an eight-month campaign to address the problem of teenage pregnancies. The campaign is the second of its kind and will be conducted in more than 90 schools across the country. In 2011, over 600 cases of teenage pregnancies were recorded across the country and the Western Province had the highest number of adolescent pregnancies, with 177 cases recorded. This is a worrying trend, which calls for more efforts to address the problem of teenage pregnancies that are threatening the future of young girls, especially those in the rural areas. It is also responsible for the many cases of school dropout among girls. According to statistics from Rwanda Demographic and Health Survey, 6 per cent of girls aged between 15 and 19, especially in rural areas are teenage mothers. The government initiative is timely but its success will depend on the input of every citizen. Government cannot solely address the challenge without the help of all stakeholders. Parents, guardians, school heads and religious leaders have a responsibility to ensure that girls are sensitized on the dangers of teenage pregnancies. Parents in particular have a big role to play in raising morally upright children, who cannot engage in activities that expose them to pre-marital sex and drug abuse-vices that are linked to the surge of pregnancies among teens. Despite the busy work schedule, parents and guardians need to strike a balance between work and parenting responsibilities to raise children who will grow into responsible citizens. There is no magic bullet to the problem of teenage pregnancies but concerted efforts to supplement government policies which are in place to address the issue.

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EDITORIAL: Combating teenage pregnancies is a shared responsibility