By CHARLES SIMENGWA? –
THE subject of contraceptive use among school-going children in Zambia could be likened to the creepy feelings one often gets in a strange house.
It is a topic that has usually found less space among some senior citizens and religious leaders who cannot fathom out the reason behind empowering the girl-child with information on how to avoid unwanted pregnancies.
But no matter how blood-curdling the subject may be, it is widely acknowledged that many girls are indulging in illicit sex for various reasons.
Some of the key drivers of teenage pregnancies are peer pressure, ignorance, poverty, and the desire of luxury.??Issues of reproductive health have always been thorny owing to the socio-cultural set-up of the country. It is a matter of health pitted against culture, or health being at the opposite side of religion.
But as the Planned Parenthood Association of Zambia (PPAZ) argues, teenage pregnancies should be placed at the top of the national agenda.?PPAZ executive director Edford Mutuma recently called for increased political will in addressing the scourge that is threatening the fabric of the Zambian society.
With an average of 17,600 young girls dropping out of school every year in Zambia, no-one could afford to bury their heads in the sand.
Mr Mutuma said Government should take the lead in ensuring that young girls complete their education and become economically empowered.
He said some of the key factors that should be considered are the promotion of gender equality, and investment in sexual and reproductive health and rights.
Gender equality and investing in sexual and reproductive health are essential for poverty reduction as they are vital in reaching Zambia’s development goals.
It is important to note that Zambia is not the only country in Africa grappling with teenage pregnancies, as some studies conducted in Tanzania and Nigeria ably prove.
A study of the attitudes of school girls in Benin City, in Nigeria, towards abortion and contraception was carried out in three of the city’s post-primary schools.?The findings showed a significant proportion of the school girls had resorted to abortion to solve their problem of unwanted pregnancies.
Although this indicated a high rate of sexual activity, their knowledge and practice of contraception was deficient and prejudiced.
Adolescents are exposed to unprotected sexual activity and as a consequence, there is an increasing incidence of unwanted pregnancies among adolescent school girls in Nigeria.?In Sub-Saharan Africa, it is estimated that 10 per cent of girls become pregnant at the age of 16.
According to a 2008 report by the World Health Organisation, teenage girls who get pregnant are likely to drop out of school and are unlikely to have the social and economic means to raise their children.?Some of the problems associated with teenage pregnancies include stigma, HIV/AIDS, and difficulties during labour.
In Tanzania adolescent pregnancy has been identified as one of the major reasons for girls dropping out of school.?Many young people become sexually active at an early age, when they have no knowledge on reproductive health.
Unintended pregnancies are also associated with the increased risk of morbidity for women and with health behaviours such as delay in pre-natal care, which may affect the health of the infant.
While some people in Zambia may not be comfortable with the subject of reproductive health, a paradigm shift is needed to forestall teenage pregnancies.?Parents and teachers alike should break the social, religious and cultural barriers which have for long inhibited meaningful discussions on such important topics as teenage pregnancies.
What Zambia needs is provision of accurate information on contraceptives to dispel any misconceptions, as well to ensure that school-going children are protected from harmful elements in society.