The Government imposed a Level Four lockdown at the
beginning of the year resulting in the postponement of school opening.
According to a report by the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, Community, Small and
Medium Enterprises Development which was presented in Parliament last week, the
country recorded 4 959 cases of teenage pregnancies and 1 774 child marriages
in January and February alone. The report also showed that 900 girls below the
age of 17 were raped in October and November last year, indicating an average
of 15 girls being raped per day.
Some of the rape cases were of girls below the age of
seven. Mashonaland Central tops the numbers with 4 475 teenage pregnancies and
1 436 child marriages while Matabeleland South is second with 290 teenage
pregnancies and 65 child marriages. Harare did not record any teenage pregnancy
nor child marriage while Bulawayo had only one teenage pregnancy case and zero
child marriages.
Matabeleland North recorded 74 child marriages and no
teenage pregnancies. Women’s Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises
Development Minister Dr Sithembiso Nyoni who presented the report said close
male family members were identified as perpetrators of rape and other forms of
child abuse.
She said it was clear that rural areas have issues around
teenagers who are exposed to sex before the age of consent. Dr Nyoni said
staying at home and being idle also contributed to the minors getting pregnant.
“We acknowledge that this is a time of great anxiety,
uncertainty and stress for many as normal life routines are changed. Women and
girls who constitute the greater percentage of gender-based violence survivors
find themselves trapped in homes with abusive husbands, fathers, brothers and
family members with limited access to protection and support services. With the
report, we have indeed witnessed unprecedented incidents of rape during this
period.”
On rape cases of underaged girls, the report showed that
the Victim Friendly Unit of the Zimbabwe Republic Police received 1 222 cases
of rape in the third quarter of 2020 and in the fourth quarter they received 1
274 cases countrywide. A total of 134 girls between the age of zero and seven
years were raped in the fourth quarter, 239 girls between eight years and 12
years, 292 girls between 13 and 15 years and 235 girls between 16 and 17 years.
Educationists, experts in adolescent sexual reproduction
and parents said there was need for an urgent intervention by the Government
and local communities. National Association of Secondary Headmasters president
Mr Arthur Maphosa said the solution lies in the opening of schools as most
teenage girls were being exposed to abusers while at home.
“The number of teenagers falling pregnant is not only
disturbing but detrimental to efforts made by the Government and its partners
to protect and empower the girl child. Children have to be in school but that
was not possible for a long time due to the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown that
forced the closure of schools. Our young girls were exposed to the vagaries of
society, made to engage in sex, forcibly in most cases.
“Parents no longer give strict supervision as they heavily
rely on the school teacher to do the work. Hopefully as the Government finds a
solution with communities, we hope to heal and mend the disaster through
intense educational programmes.
We as educators cannot sit and leave the rot to spoil our
children’s future. Men as fathers, brother and community leaders have to own up
and stop this inhumane behaviour of raping our kids, marrying them off for
money and status. It is disgusting.”
In a statement to Sunday News, the Farming Community
Education Trust (FACET), said apart from rape, other drivers of teenage
pregnancies were lack of appreciation of the value of keeping girls in school,
poverty at family and community level.
“Most parents in these communities do not value education.
The main reason being poverty because they cannot afford school fees and other
requirements needed to send their children to school. Because of this, most
girls then opt for marriage to escape poverty at home. Some are forced into
these marriages by their parents so they can get a dollar from the arrangement.
The trouble is that this becomes a cycle of poverty.”
The organisation said the solution was for communities to
educate young girls and boys on the dangers of sex. Traditional leaders were
identified as strategic in keeping the community in check.
Zimbabwe Council of Churches president Bishop Lazarus
Khanye said in most cases, although not related to specific areas, the surge in
teenage pregnancies was as a result of exploitation by those who have
resources.
This year the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education
committed to spend $123 million that will help pregnant girls to continue with
their education. This is in line with the amended Education Act which now
allows girls to attend school during and after the pregnancy. Sunday Mail
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