Kangaroo Courts Blamed for Increasing Teenage Pregnancies
According to the Forum for African Women Educationists (FAWE), poverty, lack of parental supervision and “Kangaroo courts” are responsible for the soaring number of teenage pregnancies in Kenya.
The informal village courts are being criticised for denying justice to sexually abused girls. Ms. Naomi Kamitha, FAWE programmes officer, indicated that most parents of girls who are molested settle the matter outside the formal justice system by getting village elders to intervene, which has turned what should end up with punishment for culprits and justice for the girls into a gravy train for the elders and parents.
“We are telling the girls that there is only one court and that is the Judiciary. If there are any other courts, either by elder relatives, or village elders and parents, they are not allowed. All these cases of rape, bestiality and incest cannot be solved under a mango tree,” Kamitha said.
The Imarisha Msichana programme is working to combat the rise in teenage pregnancies. The initiative is working with the Ministry of Education and other stakeholders to implement the programme for three years in selected counties.
Its activities include collaboration with key stakeholders in generating credible and acceptable data on teenage pregnancies for use in informing solutions and championing re-entry of such girls to schools.
They are also centered on sensitisation of girls, young women, boys, young men, parents and community leaders to human sexuality and prevention of pregnancy and media advocacy programmes.
According to a survey by the National Council on Population and Development in 2020, one in every five teenage girls aged 15-19 has either had a live birth or is pregnant with their first child, with some counties reporting two out of every five girls.
The Ministry of Health revealed that there were 317,644 teen pregnancies in 2021. Between January and February last year, 45,724 cases of teenage pregnancies were recorded.
Kangaroo Courts Blamed for Increasing Teenage Pregnancies
