FOR the past three weeks, I have been discussing the causes and effects of teen pregnancies.
Mostly the causes of teen pregnancies are as a result of a girl-child herself failing to cope with changes and peer pressure, besides the absence of real parenthood has contributed to this, we are in the age where parents have been too busy, no longer have time with their precious children and have allowed technology to raise their children.
Of course, I cannot deny the fact that there are times girls have been defiled and impregnated.
As I stated earlier in the previous articles, I have not written this article to stigmatise girls who have been victims of teen pregnancies but in order to sensitise different stakeholders especially the girl-child who is the most victim.
I believe if a girl-child can be proud of herself, believe in herself and refuse to risk her great future through pre-marital sex and its consequences, the girl-child education in Zambia will not be at the same level.
Hence the following are ways in which we can curb teen pregnancy;
Every girl child needs to be aware that peer pressure is normal and every girl child is confronted with the same. Infact, peer pressure is a choice, as a girl, you can decide to be peer pressured by your peers or you can decide to stand on what you believe is right. Furthermore, hanging around with friends who share your values will help you.
They say friends either make us or break us. I often boast to my pupils that one thing I always appreciate God for is that I have been smart in picking friends; I have never allowed any of my friends to lead me in things that are contrary to my values.
In fact, I have had a good influence over my friends, moments have I told them what I believe on which is the word of God and living an integrity life.
The other way to overcome peer pressure is to challenge yourself to do your best. Every girl has to have something that she stands on.
If you are a girl, you need to know what defines you and what you consider as right or wrong. It is not everything you should entertain; what is wrong is wrong.
The fact that it may seem every girl is having a boyfriend should not push you to have one. You need to know what is best for you. Is it to have sex which will give you temporal satisfaction and forget to look at its consequences?
Before you commit yourself to anything, you need to look at the long term consequences. They say life is about choices and every choice we make has its own consequences which are both temporal and eternal.
In fact, you should refuse the lie that everyone is doing it. I have come across girls who have made up their minds not to surrender their virginity until the time they will marry. Moreover even if everyone is doing it, it is not a reason for you to involve yourself in it.
For example, if every child is being rebellious should you fall in the same trap, definitely the answer is NO! You are not everybody, you are you.
Additionally, every girl child needs to think of the consequences of sex even before one indulges herself in it.
God in his infinite wisdom created sex as a way of making us fill the earth, no wonder in the Bible the only sex God has allowed is that which is done in marriage not before or outside marriage. Sex before marriage has the following consequences;
It is a sin – The Bible has called it fornication and it is among the sins that can make you lose fellowship with God and if not repented it can cause you to be in eternal separation with God.
Sex before marriage can make you be at risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections such as HIV/AIDS.
Despite the efforts by various stakeholders to combat the spread of HIV/AIDS the pandemic has been increasing at an alarming rate.
Though I may not have specific figures in reference to how many teenagers have contracted it through sex and I am not insinuating that all teenagers who are HIV positive got it because of indulging in pre-marital sex.
Young girls, abstaining from sex will help you in the long run. It has been said that if a girl-child starts involving herself in premarital sex, she has higher chances of suffering from cervical cancer later.
The other consequence of pre-marital sex is what I have been talking about all along which is pregnancy.
I remember one of my friends posted something on Facebook where she said “teenagers you want to have sex but you do not want the by-product of sex which includes pregnancy”.
She posted after the incidence which happened recently in Ndola concerning a named boy who was reported to have shot dead the girlfriend after she told him that she was carrying his baby.
Of course, the case is now in the courts. Girls and boys, stay away from sex and concentrate on building your future.
Look out for the next week’s article as I share more options in curbing teen pregnancy.
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