A stark revelation emerged last week from Monozi Primary School in Zimbabwe’s Mbire District: sixteen pupils missed their Level Seven Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (Zimsec) examinations due to pregnancy.
This alarming statistic, revealed during the inaugural session of a mobile one-stop centre outreach programme, underscores a complex web of social challenges impacting the community.
The mobile one-stop centres represent a crucial initiative aimed at addressing gender-based violence (GBV) and related inequalities across Zimbabwe. The programme brings together various partners to offer comprehensive services directly to communities, tackling issues at their source.
These services, offered during community outreaches, include birth registration assistance from the Department of Civil Registry, clinical services provided by the Ministry of Health and Child Care, and legal support from organisations such as the Musasa project.
A teacher at Monozi Primary School painted a grim picture of the situation. “We submit monthly reports on school dropouts to the district. As of late, 16 seventh-grade girls this year failed to sit for their Zimsec examinations and we have determined that parents in this community do not value a girl’s education,” she stated.
The teacher’s comments highlight a concerning disregard for girls’ education within the community.
The problem extends beyond teenage pregnancies. The teacher also highlighted the prevalence of abuse against teenage, particularly those at puberty stage.
“We have also noticed that the girl-child is being abused, especially those at puberty stage. Even if we get a case reported of abuse, you find that parents are going behind our backs and getting payment tokens from abusers and life goes on,” she explained while revealing a disturbing pattern of complicity and a prioritization of financial gain over the well-being of young girls.
Adding to the already dire circumstances, the teacher noted the devastating impact of the ongoing drought.
“Amid a severe drought, parents were increasingly trading their children for grain,” she said.
This desperate situation further exacerbates the vulnerability of young girls in the community.
The gravity of the situation is not lost on local leaders. Ms Rudo Chidembo, the Chipita Village head, expressed her deep concern.
“Children remain victims to such acts and I was sad to hear about the girls who failed to sit for their final examinations,” she commented.
She sees the mobile one-stop centres as a vital tool in combating these issues.
“These mobile one-stop centres have come at the right time to make sure that they completely deal with the rise of college pregnancies, sexual abuse and early marriages and I hope the Zimbabwe Gender Commission and the United Nations Development Fund put permanent structures so that we end such ills,” she added.
Four weeks ago, the Zimbabwean government, in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and other organisations, commemorated World Population Day (belatedly). This event coincided with the release of concerning statistics indicating a rise in teenage pregnancies in Zimbabwe, reaching a staggering 22 percent.
Simultaneously, a new initiative, “Not-In-My-Village,” was launched to combat teenage pregnancies. This year’s celebrations took place at Nzvimbo High School in Mazowe, Mashonaland Central – a province reportedly experiencing a high rate of teenage pregnancies.
Teenage pregnancies are causing widespread problems, including school dropout, abuse, and substance abuse. World Population Day (WPD) is observed annually on July 11th to address population issues and development concerns. This year’s theme was: “Harnessing the power of data for equitable action.”
Speaking at the event, the Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr Douglas Mombeshora, highlighted the urgent need for a proactive approach to combat teenage pregnancies, citing the severe consequences such as violence, maternal mortality, and educational disruption.
“It is a serious crime to abuse a child; we want young people to grow up without such abuse. Sexual abuse of children hinders national development because they are the future. Sexually transmitted infections like HIV are more prevalent when children are abused in this way, placing a heavy burden on hospitals,” he stated.
UNFPA representative in Zimbabwe, Ms Mirinda Tabifor, cited a recent survey revealing a significant increase in teenage pregnancies.
“A key finding from the survey is that 22 percent of girls aged 10 and above registered pregnancies in hospitals. This translates to approximately 358,458 young people pregnant out of an estimated 1,706,946 surveyed across 1,560 health facilities between 2019 and 2022,” she explained. She further noted a sharp increase in teenage pregnancies from 9 percent in 2016 to 22 percent.
“This increase is linked to the COVID-19 pandemic, as children were confined to their homes and unable to attend school,” she added.
