English
Kinyarwanda
Police in Rulindo District have appealed to head of schools, teachers and all officials in charge of the education in the district, to work together to implement mechanisms to curb the increasing cases of teenage pregnancies, and to minimize the dire consequences this causes.
The Police asked the public to rally around the importance of preventing teenage pregnancies, all forms of violence and preventing child marriages.
The call was made on October 23, by Inspector of Police (IP) Emmanuel Dusengimana, the District Community Liaisons Officer, while addressing educationists and local authorities from all sector of Rulindo district.
He said it would be improper for mentors, parents or anyone, to watch under their nose girls being abused or forced into marriage, and fail to report perpetrators.
“It is shameful for us to talk about teenage pregnancy looking at the milestones the country has made in different areas and in this modern era. Such crimes shouldn’t be happening now. We need to stand up and work together to end it,” he said.
Participants noted that teenage mothers are more likely to experience adverse pregnancy outcomes and are more constrained in their ability to pursue educational opportunities, and killing the future of girls.
Parents faulted
The meeting also decried some parents for not doing enough to help young girls stay in school and avoid risky behavior that can lead to early sexual behavior leading to pregnancy.
Parents were therefore asked to take serious their parenting roles and advise teenagers of the dangers related to early and unprotected sex.
Experts say that teenage pregnancies are associated with pregnancy related illnesses like fistula, high infant and maternal mortality, babies with low birth weight, malnutrition and stunted.
Under article 195 of the penal code, any person, who plays a role in early or forced marriage of a minor, faces a term of imprisonment of up to two years.
