June 4, 2021
By Aruna Kamara
Ministry of Youth Affairs in Collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has organized a one day awareness raising training on Gender Based Violence and Teenage Pregnancy Prevention for Youth Groups adolescent, and District Youth Councils in Moyamba District.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the training session, which took place the at the Moyamba Mini Stadium on Thursday, the Director of Programs at the National Youth Service, Sylvester Bewie said that during the COVID-19 pandemic, a lot of girls became pregnant, which affected their education.
He noted that women and girls have become victims of Gender Based Violence that is now rampant in the society.
He revealed that their Partner, UNFPA has supported them to scale up the awareness raising training in order to put a stop or reduce gender base violence and teenage pregnancy.
He added that President Julius Maada Bio and his wife are committed to also reducing or putting a stop to SGBV and teenage Pregnancy.
Mr. Bewie said that the youths Affairs are resolute on ensuring that the girls grow in an environment that is not hostile to their empowerment.
A representative from the National Secretariat for Reduction of Teenage Pregnancy, Merian Sam-Mboma said that survey conducted by UNFPA in 2019 indicated that 40% of the girls in Sierra Leone are married before 18 years and 28% of the girls between 18-19 have children.
She said that the causes of Teenage Pregnancy include unprotected sex, lack of education on sexual health rights, low socio-economic status and early marriage, adding that the consequences of teenage pregnancy include complications in delivery, stigma and discrimination and drop out from school.
She said that the National Secretariat for Reduction of Teenage Pregnancy has developed a national strategy for the reduction of teenage pregnancy.
He disclosed that they have been working closely with partners including the youth Affairs ministry to contribute to both national and global effort to prevent teenage pregnancy and school based outreach of sexual and reproductive health information, and community engagement to provide a safe environment for the children to achieve their education to contribute to nation building.
She called on the girls to abstain from sex until the reach maturity when they would have achieved their education.
One of the participants, Nancy Kpaka from Harford School in Moyamba thanked UNFPA for supporting the Ministry of Youth Affairs to conduct the awareness raising training which will go a long way to help them achieve their education before going into sex.
She encouraged her colleagues from other schools and those in the community not going to school but also remains vulnerable, to pass on the knowledge acquired during the training for a multiplying effect in both the schools and the community.
Juliana Brima, another participant said that the coming of the youth affairs ministry to the district to organize such training for the youths who are adolescent on the prevention of teenage pregnancy and SGBV is timely, as most of them never had such knowledge received during the training.
“I will be content with what my parents give me and will not allow the men to fool me with mobile phone to have sex with them, for that will destroy my chances of becoming a president or another first lady in the country’’ she said,
The participant added that strong policies and laws should be in place to protect women and girls in the society.
The Ministry of youth affairs will be conducting similar awareness raising on SGBV and Teenage Pregnancy in Pujehun and Kambia.