Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) experts are calling for increased awareness and stricter enforcement of legislation to address teenage pregnancies and early child marriages, aiming to protect adolescent girls and young women.
This call follows reports indicating that 680 minors aged between 10 and 14 fell pregnant in the first half of last year.
Speaking on This Morning on Asakhe, SRHR expert and Programs Assistant at the Women’s Institute for Leadership Development (WILD), Thabiso Sibanda, highlighted the need for better law enforcement.
“The President signed the marriage act that criminalizes child marriages, which is a positive step. However, in terms of enforcement, are we doing enough to ensure it is implemented? Are we aligning the laws with certain policies and criminal codifications to clarify what it means legally? What are the sentences, not only for the impregnator or the rapist but also for families, especially when they are perpetrators?” she said.
Sibanda emphasized the need to explore the role of traditional leadership in protecting adolescent girls and young women.
“Where does it start and where does it end? How are traditional leaders also perpetrators when we look at the violation of adolescent girls and young women?” she asked.
She also pointed out that some legal systems themselves are problematic.
“We need to examine the legal systems, as some are essentially crime scenes because paedophilia exists within them. Politicians often campaign by wearing white garments (apostolic sect), but how about using that same energy to raise awareness? They are the biggest perpetrators when it comes to violations like child marriages, particularly among apostolic sects. The statistics are clear, and the stories are in the media,” Sibanda stated.
“Are we failing due to a lack of political will to enforce laws within those communities? They are the same people we approach for support, and it seems like an exchange for girls’ lives,” she added.
Sibanda stressed the importance of enforcing laws to protect young girls.
“They do not go to school, which violates their rights. They get sexually abused, married off, raped, and are not allowed to access health services. The question then becomes, do we care? We need to enforce the laws to protect the girl child,” she said.
Thobekile Sithole, another speaker, called for more male advocates for children’s rights.
“We need more male advocates standing up for children’s rights, girls’ rights, and boys’ rights. A male voice speaking to the same issues that we, as children’s and girls’ rights activists, are discussing is crucial. Otherwise, it seems like a feminist agenda or anti-man movement, but this is a problem for everyone,” she said.
Sithole stressed the importance of implementing existing laws and opening discussions on SRHR in various community settings.
“The laws are there; the issue is implementation and enforcement. We can regulate and legislate endlessly, but if we do not implement these laws, they will not affect on the ground. They are just words on paper, and a large percentage of the population does not know these laws, only snippets,” she said.
“Many laws surround this issue, not only the Marriage Act. We need awareness and implementation on the ground. Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights need to be openly discussed in churches, schools, and clinics. We cannot keep pretending everything is okay,” Sithole concluded.
