“3 In 10 Liberian Girls Are Pregnant Before The Age Of 18”- Says One Report
By Alfred Kollie, alfredkolliejr92@gmail.com
A number of local and international reports point to a rising number of cases of teenage pregnancies and child marriages in Liberia over the years.
“Liberia has an alarming high rate of teenage pregnancy. It’s estimated that on average 3 in 10 Liberian girls are pregnant before the age of 18. The rate of pregnancy among adolescent girls aged 15-19 in rural areas is almost double that in urban areas – 42% and 24% respectively,” says one report by Save the Children. Young, female and pregnant in Liberia (savethechildren.org.uk)
According to a UNFPA report, “adolescent pregnancy is generally not the result of a deliberate choice – these girls often have little say over decisions affecting their lives.” Adolescent pregnancy (unfpa.org)
In Liberia, this is why a local nonprofit organization, the Youth Dream for Constructive Achievement Incorporated (YDCA) has embarked on a community campaign against teenage pregnancy and child marriage in two communities of Montserrado County.
Liberia is said to be “home to over 480,000 child brides; 1 in 4 young women were married in childhood,” says one report by UNICEF. Child Marriage Country Profile_LBR (1).pdf
YDCA is a local NGO that provides support for teenagers, underprivileged, and vulnerable groups and provides empowerment support for women in Liberia.
The campaign was carried out in Vonzon Town and Banjor Communities in Brewerville City on Thursday, July 27, 2023, respectively.
Several topics, including teenage pregnancy and prevention, the effect of child marriage, and mitigation were all covered by facilitators from the Ministry of Gender Children and Social Protection, gender advocates, and other individuals.
Speaking during the campaign, the NGO Executive Director Jeffery Paye named lack of education or awareness, poverty to reduce the economic burden on parents, unwanted pregnancy, and religious beliefs among others as factors responsible for child marriage and teenage pregnancy.
According to Mr. Paye, the campaign is a result of the alarming rate of teenage pregnancy and child marriage in the country.
He maintained that the campaign is about the prevention of both teenage pregnancy and child marriage by helping educate both children and their parents for a better and successful future.
“The issue of teenage pregnancy and child marriage is a pressing issue and needs a collective effort to fight it. The issue of poverty and lack of proper education are all responsible for some of these things in our society,” he explained.
Mr. Paye however, encouraged parents to invest in their children’s education for a better future and pay key attention to their children at all times.
The campaign which is sponsored and implemented by Youth Dream for Constructive Achievement Incorporated in partnership with Global Giving is expected to reach Bomi and Grand Cape Mount countries respectively.
In remarks, the acting Town Chief of Vonzon Town in Brewerville G. Selma Dolley thanked the group for the great initiative that he believes will help positively change the mindset of children and their parents.
“The coming of this group was great and fruitful to us as a community and parents. Everything there was educative and impactful.
Dolley however, appealed to Youth Dream for Constructive Achievement Incorporated or YDCA to revisit the community to allow other parents and nearby communities and towns to get involved.
Parents are called upon to be friendly with their children and be patient with them in understanding issues affecting them.
For her part, Madam Evelyn Foday commended the NGO nothing that engagement and teaching motivated her to serve as an ambassador in the campaign against teenage pregnancy and early child marriage.
According to her, the awareness has further educated her on how to take care of her children, how to protect and prevent teenage pregnancy and child marriage, and how to know the value of children.
However, Madam Foday urged parents to avoid forcing their children into early child marriage, and teenage prostitution and do all they can and invest in the education of their children for a successful
future.
Global problem
As indicated in reports by international NGOs and INGOs, the problems of teenage must be collectively fought around the world, as the situation is growing by the day.
A UNFPA report published on its website gives a clear picture of the scale of the problem the world has to confront to address the problem.
“Every day in developing countries, 20,000 girls under age 18 give birth. This amounts to 7.3 million births a year. And if all pregnancies are included, not just births, the number of adolescent pregnancies is much higher. When a girl becomes pregnant, her life can change radically. Her education may end and her job prospects diminish. She becomes more vulnerable to poverty and exclusion, and her health often suffers. Complications from pregnancy and childbirth are the leading cause of death among adolescent girls. Adolescent pregnancy is generally not the result of a deliberate choice – these girls often have little say over decisions affecting their lives. Rather, early pregnancy is a consequence of little or no access to school, information or health care…” Adolescent pregnancy (unfpa.org)