By Edinah Masiyiwa
Now that the 68th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women has ended, it is time to reflect and act on the recommendations that were made, as we endeavor to improve access to Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) for women and girls. In reviewing the theme “Social protection systems, access to public services and sustainable infrastructure for gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls,” I am dismayed by the recommendations relating to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR).
The recommendations do not highlight access to safe and legal abortion as an intervention for protecting adolescents and girls from having children at a very young age. Instead, these recommendations assume the pregnancy will occur and only focus on helping girls and young women when they are pregnant and become mothers. But that is not enough.
Emphasising having childcare facilities in schools is not a solution in developing countries where the average teenager cannot afford school fees. But most importantly, if we are serious about protecting adolescent girls, recommendations should also focus on how to end a pregnancy. Adolescent pregnancies result in poor health outcomes and should be avoided.
Indeed, to promote adolescent SRHR, we should not shy away from talking about access to safe abortion. Each year, an estimated 3.2 million unsafe abortions (defined as a pregnancy termination performed either by a person lacking the necessary skills or in an environment lacking adequate medical standards) take place among adolescent girls ages 15–19. There is not much evidence on abortions that occur among the 10-to-14-year age group even though we know this age group is also having unwanted pregnancies.
Adolescent pregnancies are usually problematic for many reasons. For starters, child sexual abuse has been identified as a factor that increases the risk of unintended pregnancies. Then, in many societies, girls are under pressure to marry and bear children. Child marriage places girls at increased risk of pregnancy because these girls typically have limited autonomy to influence decision-making about delaying child-bearing and contraceptive use. Early marriage in itself is a violation of the girls’ rights and should not be allowed at all let alone allowing a girl to carry on with a pregnancy. Countries in the East and Southern Africa region have some of the highest adolescent pregnancy rates in the world, such as Mozambique, with 180 births to girls aged 15 to 19 per 1000 births to women.
There is need for adolescents to be protected from having their bodies violated sexually. The woman’s body is where most of the violence is perpetrated and this should be spelt out, particularly at a conference that is solely focused on women and girls. Early and unwanted adolescent pregnancies should be outlawed.
A study on adolescent pregnancy in my country of Zimbabwe revealed that Zimbabwe is classified among 41 countries globally and 20 countries in Africa with high rates of child marriages. In Zimbabwe child marriages prevalence rate is estimated to be at 33%. The report also highlights that adolescent pregnancy results from coercion and or sexual violence, particularly by older men. This is something that is worrying and nowhere in that report is termination of pregnancy mentioned as an option despite the fact that this is allowed under the Termination of Pregnancy Act (1977). This law allows for termination if the pregnancy is a result of unlawful intercourse such as rape and incest. Instead, young girls 10 -19 years of age are allowed to carry pregnancies to term even if the pregnancy is a result of violence or coercion which are a clear violation of the girls’ rights.
This reminds me of the recent tragic death of Yeukai, a 14-year-old Zimabwean girl who was impregnated by a 24-year-old relative after months of sexual abuse. She died after delivering twins by Caesarean section. Is this what we want? To keep on counting the numbers of girls dying from preventable issues? If we do not change course, we will continue losing young girls due to sexual abuse and pregnancy related causes.
Let us not shy away from raising access to safe abortion for adolescent girls as one of the strategies for social protection. Let us be bold at every level, whether we are civil society or government delegates. Let our voices be heard loud and clear that the termination of pregnancy for adolescents can save and improve lives.
