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South Africa: Teen Mums in South Africa - Largest Ever Study Explores What It Takes to Go Back to School
The Conversation Africa, 17 August 2023
Imagine the weight of responsibility for caring for a child when you are not yet fully grown yourself, and the fear of being shamed by parents, fellow learners, and even strangers… Read more »
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South Africa: Teenagers March in Kariega for Better Sexual and Reproductive Health Services
GroundUp, 11 July 2023
Partners in Sexual Health director says while government has made some progress, the challenge is in the implementation of its policies Read more »
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South Africa: Concern Over Teenage Pregnancies and School Dropouts in Northern Cape
GroundUp, 7 February 2023
Without enough community, family and school support, pregnant learners struggle to finish their schooling Read more »
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South Africa: South Africa Teenage Pregnancy Spikes During Pandemic
VOA, 30 November 2021
South Africa's teenage pregnancy rate has jumped 60% amid the COVID-19 pandemic, an increase affecting the education of many young women and their hopes to escape the cycle of… Read more »
What It Takes for Teen Mums in South Africa to Go Back to School
Adolescent pregnancy is a major problem in Africa, with many adolescent mothers facing challenges such as poverty, lack of education, and social stigma, write Kathryn Steventon Roberts and Janina Jochim for The Conversation Africa.
The HEY BABY (Helping Empower Youth Brought up in Adversity with their Babies and Young children) research study has shed light on some of the challenges faced by adolescent mothers, as well as potential entry points for interventions and programmes. Between 2017 and 2019, HEY BABY collected data from over 1,000 adolescent mothers and their children living in rural and urban areas of South Africa's Eastern Cape.
The study found that almost 70% of young mothers returned to school after birth, but that the large proportion of mothers who do not return to school, may require substantial targeted support to re-engage with education. Those who did return showed fewer indicators of poverty, better schooling history, continued education during pregnancy, more family support, and greater utilisation of daycare services.
The findings highlight the need for progressive laws and school policies, as well as their effective implementation, to increase school access for pregnant girls and adolescent mothers.
InFocus
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Teenage pregnancies in many African countries increased during lockdowns and school closures during Covid-19. Human Rights Watch in a report, said that in nearly one-third of ... Read more »
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Adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa have the highest rate of unplanned pregnancies. Almost half (46%) of these unintended pregnancies among ado Read more »
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A new Human Rights Watch report says that in nearly one-third of African countries, teenage girls who become pregnant face "significant legal and policy barriers" to continuing ... Read more »
