Why teenage pregnancies soared during lockdown

PREGNANCY

Nanfuka was looking forward to completing S.4 next year to pursue her dream career of nursing. But the 18-year-old resident of Zigoti village in Mityana district, who has been in a relationship with a bodaboda cyclist, is now three months pregnant.

Nanfuka recollects that the cyclist would sometimes offer her lifts to school to save her the bother of trekking a two kilometre journey.

"Whenever I offered him money for the fare, he would tell me to keep it to buy snacks during my lunch break," testifies the soft spoken girl. Eventually, the rider started offering Nanfuka small amounts of money to buy her personal effects such as Vaseline and sanitary pads, which came as a huge relief.

The abrupt closure of schools in March created fertile ground for Nanfuka's relationship with the rider to blossom, as the two started seeing each other frequently. Nanfuka was always home taking care of her siblings when her mother left for work.

Although Nanfuka says her boyfriend acknowledged the pregnancy, he is not supportive. "He has stopped giving me money. Two weeks ago when I asked him to take me to the hospital for an antenatal visit, he claimed he was busy," she narrates her ordeal.

Last Saturday, Uganda joined the international community to commemorate World Population Day under the theme, Safeguarding the health and rights of women and girls around the world especially during the time of COVID-19 pandemic"

The theme was so topical, particularly during this post-lockdown season, with new reports emerging on teen pregnancy and early marriage. 

As schools remain closed as a measure to contain the spread of the deadly coronavirus, young girls continue to face sexual abuse. 

Did the lockdown erode the gains achieved in the fight against teenage pregnancy?

Have the numbers gone up? If they have, how bad are they? How differently can we handle this challenge so we can save our girls from these predators?

Details: https://epapers.visiongroup.co.ug/