Red Cross Calls for Change in Tact to Address Teenage Pregnancies
By John Kariuki
The Kenya Red Cross has adopted a multi-sectoral approach to address the rising cases of teenage Pregnancies.
The Chief Executive Officer of Red Cross Dr. Asha Mohamed while addressing a Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE), also cited that there has been increasing cases of girls dropping out of school especially in drought hit areas.
“We are witnessing school dropouts and this exposes girls to the home environment where they are vulnerable either to be married off or risk early pregnancy,” said Dr. Asha.
In a bid to address this, Kenya Red Cross has taken a pragmatic approach by rolling out mentorship programs after it emerged that parents are not giving adolescents sufficient advice.
“Through our trained Kenya Red Cross Volunteers and technical experts, we are working on mentoring the young girls. We should also ensure we get the girls back to school and create a conducive environment for the girls. We should also work to equip girls well to make sound decisions.”
She points out that these interventions pave way for broader programs that will see girls transit from education to work.
Dr Asha concluded by saying that girls need to know their rights and fight for them.
“Empowerment is the most important and relevant tool we can give to the girls of Africa.”
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