dyton mupawaenda
Tafara Chibanda
THE Zimbabwe Association of Church-Related Hospitals (ZACH), through its initiative Start Awareness Support Action, has raised concern over the lack of adequate support for adolescent pregnant mothers.
This is despite advances made by the Education Amendment Act of 2020 which aimed to provide a second chance for pregnant girls and adolescent mothers.
Many still face barriers to education.
Addressing the media yesterday, SASA Programme Coordinator, Sukoluhle Dube, highlighted the persistent societal stigma against pregnant adolescents.
“Although girls are allowed to attend school while pregnant, acceptance within the community remains a major challenge.
“Most of the time, according to our culture, these girls are often forced to marry the person who got them pregnant.
“Families are struggling to care for an extra child due to economic hardships, which often leads to adolescent mothers dropping out of school to fend for their child.
“They need the resources required to continue their education and secure a better future.”
She also voiced the challenges faced by young girls and mothers in accessing Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) services, including HIV prevention.
Bongani Ndlovu
Mathew Masinge