Nearly 350 000 girls between the ages of 10 and 19 fell pregnant between 2019 and 2022 in Zimbabwe.
This was said by United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Zimbabwe’s adolescent sexual health reproductive specialist Blessing Nyagumbo on Tuesday.
Addressing journalists, Nyagumbo said the country recorded a sharp increase in pregnancies among girls and teenagers in the past three years. She said, as quoted <a href="https://www.zimlive.com/zimbabwe-records-350000-teen-pregnancies/">by ZimLive</a>:
<blockquote>
Between 2019 and 2022, there were about 1.7 million pregnancies recorded in Zimbabwe and out of that, 21 percent happened amongst adolescents that are between the ages of 10 to 19 years and that translates to around 350 000 teenage pregnancies.
That tells you how devastating the rate of teenage pregnancies in Zimbabwe is.
</blockquote>
According to statistics, in 2018, about 3 000 girls dropped out because of pregnancy.
In 2019, the number remained relatively steady, but in 2020, the number rose to 4 770.
In 2021, the number rose again as about 5 000 learners got pregnant in that year’s first two months.
Nyagumbo said it is imperative to take sexual reproductive health education to schools as raising awareness will reduce cases of sexual exploitation of minors. She said:
<blockquote>
One of the preventing strategic interventions that we support as UNFPA is strengthening the delivery of sex education in schools.
</blockquote>
Teenage pregnancies and child marriages skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic when schools were closed for an extended period of time.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Pindula News

Zimbabwe Records 350 000 Teen Pregnancies In 3 Years

A 13-year-old pupil at Chinotimba Primary School in Victoria Falls had to write part of her ZIMSEC Grade Seven general examinations on a hospital bed soon after giving birth last month.
The learner was heavily pregnant when she sat for her first paper before going into labour that same afternoon.
She wrote four papers at the Victoria Falls Hospital maternity ward ignoring labour pains.
The teenage mother met Thumelani Sibanda in January this year, an 18-year-old assistant builder who was working at a house next door and the two started dating.
She only discovered she was pregnant in August when her maternal aunt noticed abnormal changes in her body.
Her mother then informed the school authorities who advised that she could do extra lessons at home and only come to school to write the examinations. Said the teen mother:
<blockquote>
I was okay when I went to write my first paper on a Monday but other learners kept looking at me.
I left school going home after the exam and along the way, I started feeling pain.
When I got home I just lay down on the floor as the pain increased.
My aunt called a neighbour and they rushed me to hospital where I was taken to theatre for an operation.
I gave birth and I was so happy when I saw my baby which was 2.8kg.
</blockquote>
A room was then set up for her where teachers came to invigilate her while nurses took care of the baby.
She was admitted to the hospital between Tuesday and Friday and wrote all the week’s papers there.
Her family said they met Sibanda’s family who pleaded for their son not to be reported to the police.
In Zimbabwe, it is a criminal offence to have sexual relations with a minor.
Meanwhile, the teen mother named her baby “Taboka” which means “Thank you”. | <a href="https://www.bmetro.co.zw/grade-7-gives-birth-writes-exam-from-hospital-bed/">B-Metro</a>

Grade 7 Pupil Gives Birth, Writes Exam From Maternity Ward

Chiefs and traditional leaders in Matabeleland say young men from their areas who are based abroad (Injiva), mostly South Africa and Botswana, are largely to blame for unplanned pregnancies and early child marriages in their areas.
This came out during a meeting organised by the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works alongside the United Nations for women working with chiefs and traditional leaders in Matabeleland to end violence against women and girls in rural areas.
Senator Chief Siansali of Binga said Injiva and Omalayitsha (cross-border transporters) take advantage of poor young girls in rural areas and use promises of cash and goodies to entice them into sexual relationships. He said:
<blockquote>
These Injiva are also our children. They grew up here. It is the duty of every parent to teach their South African-based children not to take advantage of their neighbours to abuse them sexually.
Most of these children fall pregnant during examination time. They camp at schools because walking on a daily basis to school tires them and makes them lose concentration.
If more schools that are nearer to homes could be built it would make everyone’s job easier.
</blockquote>
It has also been established that girls in rural areas mostly get unwanted pregnancies around December when South African-based Zimbabweans visit the country.
Meanwhile, the partners in the initiative urged chiefs to establish safe shelters for victims and standby funds in their villages to cater for victims of violence.
| <a href="https://www.chronicle.co.zw/injiva-behind-unwanted-rural-pregnancies-chiefs/">Chronicle</a>

Chiefs Blame "Injiva" For Unplanned Rural Pregnancies

Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Health and Child Care chairperson Ruth Labode said that the levels of teenage pregnancies in Zimbabwe have reached epidemic levels, with thousands of teenagers forced to quit school after falling pregnant.
Contributing to a discussion in the National Assembly on Wednesday on what action responsible authorities must take regarding underage children who die while giving birth, Labode said the scourge of teenage pregnancies will not end unless urgent action is taken. She said:
<blockquote>
Madam Speaker, I am hurt and shocked that the levels of teenage pregnancies in Zimbabwe have reached epidemic levels and for us to sit here and pretend there is a social norm or a family core that will deal with that issue is very sad.
I remember Minister (Sithembiso) Nyoni came to this House and presented a report of 55 000 teenage girls who got pregnant within a month.
The report on Education said 10 000 teenage girls left school because of pregnancies and we sit here and pretend it is something that will just disappear.
What I am saying is that we have a serious problem at hand.
We need to do everything within our power and deal with Section 35 of the Public Health Act.
We know that our young women are indulging in sex. Why do we want to pretend that they should not go to health facilities and get that service that can serve them? We have to do something.
</blockquote>
This follows the death of a Grade 7 pupil from Katanga, Norton, a small town in Mashonaland West Province, who died while giving birth in Bikita on 04 October 2022.
Nokutenda Hwaramba, who was 15, died at an apostolic church shrine while giving birth.
In July 2021, 14-year-old Anna Machaya died while giving birth at an apostolic shrine in Marange.
In January 2022, 15-year-old Ferby Munyafi of Chiadzwa Village in Marange died from excessive bleeding while delivering. |<a href="https://cite.org.zw/teenage-pregnancies-have-reached-epidemic-levels-labode/"> CITE</a>

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