The African continent has the highest adolescent pregnancy rates in the world, according to the United Nations. Every year, thousands of girls become pregnant at the time when they should be learning history, algebra, and life skills. Adolescent girls who have early and unintended pregnancies face many social and financial barriers to continuing with formal education. All girls have a right to education regardless of their pregnancy, marital or motherhood status. The right of pregnant-and sometimes married-girls to continue their education has evoked emotionally charged discussions across African Union member states in recent years. These debates often focus on arguments around "morality," that pregnancy outside wedlock is morally wrong, emanating from personal opinions and experiences, and wide-ranging interpretations of religious teachings about sex outside of marriage. The effect of this discourse is that pregnant girls - and to a smaller extent, school boys who impregnate girls- have faced all kinds of punishments, including discriminatory practices that deny girls the enjoyment of their right to education. In some of the countries researched for this report, education is regarded as a privilege that can be withdrawn as a punishment.

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