Experts at the UKZN conference highlighted alarming rates of adolescent pregnancies in Eastern and Southern Africa. Picture: Independent Newspapers Archives.
Durban: The problem of alarmingly high adolescent pregnancies in Eastern and Southern Africa requires a collaborative approach and comprehensive strategies to protect vulnerable youth.
This was said during the Early and Unintended Pregnancies in Eastern and Southern Africa Conference hosted by the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN).
During the conference, Professor Kaymarlin Govender, director of the Health Economics and HIV/AIDS Research Division (HEARD) at UKZN, said this issue, which extends beyond South Africa, cannot be addressed by working individually and called for collaboration.
“In Eastern and Southern Africa, adolescent pregnancies are alarmingly high, with some countries reporting fertility rates exceeding 100 live births per 1000 girls, particularly for ages 15 to 19. That's a staggering statistic,” said Govender.
He said the implications are profound as young mothers face significant health risks, including complications during childbirth, while confronting socio-economic barriers that limit the opportunities for education and employment.
“This conference is not just a platform for sharing information; it’s a call to action for collaboration. As delegates, we have the power to improve policies, advocate for comprehensive sexuality education, and promote access to youth-friendly health services,” said Govender.
During a panel discussion, the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development’s director of legal services in KZN, Asiya Khan, said one of the most challenging things was the non-reporting of cases.
“It’s found out very late when the child is ready to give birth and at that stage, no one wants to press charges.”
As a result, Khan said there was very little that law enforcement could do if there was no complainant and a case.
“We’ve just had three amendments to our gender-based violence legislation, and the legislation is there to protect our children and vulnerable groups, but it’s not being used. As long as there are no reported cases, there’s very little SAPS can do and the prosecution can do.”
She added that another issue was that communities or parents did not question the conduct of the perpetrators.
National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) Advocate Nonhlanhla Dlamini, chief public prosecutor in Pietermaritzburg, agreed with Khan’s comments and said another aspect was cases getting withdrawn.
Another issue, according to Dlamini, is that often the witnesses disappear. “In the end, we find that we proceed with very few cases and therefore, because we proceed with very few cases, we end up with very few convictions compared to the problems that are there.”
Zanela Ncwane, Commission for Gender Equality provincial manager of KZN, said according to the law, any person that has knowledge and suspects that a child is being abused has a duty and a responsibility to report, whether it be a teacher, parent, or neighbour.
NPA Advocate Omashani Naidoo, acting Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Sexual Offences and Community Affairs Unit in KZN, said South Africa had one of the best pieces of legislation when it comes to sexual offences worldwide; it was just a matter of implementation.
Naidoo said what they want to see in terms of child pregnancy is for the perpetrators to be brought to court.