Pregnancy crisis is the worst in KZN

NEWCASTLE – According to a media release from the KwaZulu-Natal DA Legislature, teen pregnancy is escalating, particularly in KZN. This has a negative impact on the empowerment of women, and the right to bodily dignity.

Raising awareness about teen pregnancy and moral behaviour proved ineffective.

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KZN currently has the highest teen pregnancy rate in the country, and has the highest rate of HIV and STIs in the age group 16 to 35. This statistic reflects the crisis we have as a nation and particularly as a province. Statistically, areas mostly affected are Mkhanyakude, uThungulu and Umlazi. These are also schooling districts with the least resources allocated to youth programmes or extra-curricular activities.

With 9 135 learners pregnant in KZN, programmes to create awareness on pregnancy should be rolled out as a preventative measure. It is imperative that young girls in particular are given access to contraception at schools.

We should no longer ignore the problem because the crisis, aside from the health perspective, is one that can also significantly hinder the progress of learners and contribute to greater societal ills.

While the crisis is dire, it is not insurmountable. Western Cape statistics show that the rate of teen pregnancy is decreasing annually, and currently sits at 2 704 pregnancies in the current year, 108 fewer than last year.

This is not by some miracle or a sudden disinterest in sex by teenagers in that province. It is simply because the Western Cape has more youth development centres and extra-curricular activities than any other province.

Teenagers have things to do, sports to play, programmes to take part in, and as a result they have less time to participate in sexual activity that may put their futures at risk.

Founder of Samaritan House Pregnancy Crisis Centre in Newcastle, Liz Botha, confirmed KZN has the highest incidence in the country of HIV and pregnancy.

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She said since abortions had been legalised, it became too easy to hop to the hospital and yank the baby out like a bad tooth.

“The main concern is pregnancies in schools. Before, a lot of people came to us for constructive solutions and help, but abortions are now the easiest way out for most pregnant teenagers, and despite all the counselling and teaching, some still fall pregnant again because there are no consequences for their actions.”

She said there are those, however, who have life-changing experiences at the centre because they went to great lengths to teach them about problems caused by their own bad choices.

Mrs Botha said rape was rife in our area and more than half were not reported because victims were traumatised, afraid of, or threatened by the abuser.

“Many home situations are horrible, because girls don’t have parents and are stuck with relatives who don’t want them, who end up abusing them. But there are also the girls who choose to sleep around and we try our best to help these girls especially.

“Samaritan House is an organisation that runs solely on public donations. It costs R5000 a month to keep the doors open. It is the only one of its kind in Northern Natal and helps abused and vulnerable women from the whole province. People are not always sympathetic to the pregnancy crisis we face, because there is a misconception that girls and women only choose to sleep around. The community must realise in many cases the women are mistreated.”

Mrs Botha said Samaritan House ran an abstinence course called No Apologies, for schools and youth groups, presented over eight hours and eight modules, regarding reasons why abstinence is best.

Interested schools can contact Liz Botha on 084 510 4215. Donations to Samaritan House will also be welcomed.

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