Recently, the Department of Social Development, other government departments and civil society organisations hosted the annual Child Protection Week.
Underpinned by legal prescripts such as the Children's Act and Article 28 of the Constitution, its primary purpose was to raise awareness of children’s rights and the protection of children from violence, abuse, sexual and other forms of exploitation.
Nevertheless, albeit significant, it is simplistic to conclude that teenage pregnancies are primarily a consequence of the sexual exploitation of young girls by well-heeled older men.
Teenage pregnancy in South Africa is a problem aggravated by poverty, gender inequalities, gender-based violence, substance use, access to termination of pregnancy services, low contraceptive usage, negative attitudes of caregivers and inadequate reproductive health education.
Across sub-Saharan Africa, data suggests that sexual coercion, poor contraceptive uptake,…
