Early pregnancy crisis needs attention

Amnesty International South Africa and True Love are shining a light on the crisis of early pregnancy this Women’s Month.

Early pregnancy is a social, health and economic issue affecting children. There has been a significant increase in the number of adolescents and young girls falling pregnant, ultimately girls who are giving birth from as young as 10 years old.

In South Africa, between April 2017 and September 2021, the number of births to young and adolescent girls between 10 and 14 years of age increased by 48.7%.

In Gauteng alone, 934 girls aged 10 to 14 gave birth between April 2020 and March 2021. Furthermore, 65 of the 1 764 babies born in South Africa on January 1, 2022, were adolescent girls. The youngest was a 13-year-old from the Eastern Cape.

Amnesty International South Africa executive director Shenilla Mohamed said it is important to note that these are the number of births, not the number of pregnancies because some pregnancies resulted in abortions or miscarriages.

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“These are staggering numbers. While this is a societal issue that needs to be tackled by the government and the people together, the state also has a responsibility to create an enabling environment for people to make autonomous and informed decisions.

“Early pregnancy has a ripple effect in terms of the adverse impact that comes with it. Often these pregnancies result in these girls being forced to drop out of school or fall behind with their schoolwork. This also leads to a cycle of poverty in which they require public assistance and are sometimes forced to marry young.

“Other factors such as gender inequality, GBV, substance abuse, poor access to contraceptives (as well as limited education about the options available), regulations around the termination of pregnancy, as well as many healthcare system challenges, all negatively influence this problem further.

“A reality check can be seen in the stats. In 2020, over 600 adolescents and young girls aged 10–13 were registered to give birth. This figure includes late registrations. In 2020, a total of 33 899 births occurred to children aged 17 years and younger.

“Stats SA noted that acquiring information about the fathers remains a challenge, with 64% of births having been registered with no details of the fathers supplied and no information is collected on the ‘profile of the type of man who has fathered these children’, or on how many cases of statutory rape were opened against men who impregnated underage girls,” said Mohamed.

She pointed out that GBV is a factor in early pregnancies, with one in every three children under the age of 18 experiencing sexual abuse.

“According to South African law, children below the age of 12 cannot consent to sexual activity. Sexual intercourse with a child below the age of 12 is always considered rape. Even if the child says ‘yes’, they are unable to give consent at that age.

“Consensual sexual intercourse may occur between two children under the age of 16 who are at least 12 years old. Sixteen to 18-year-olds may have consensual sex with people no more than two years younger than them. This means that, while a child between the ages of 12 and 16 can consent if there is a two-year age difference and one is over the age of 16, the latter will be charged with statutory rape.

“In an event where the pregnancy occurs as a result of rape and statutory rape, cases must be reported to the SAPS. The criminal justice system, including the SAPS and the National Prosecuting Authority, must respond in a timeous, efficient and effective manner to these cases,” said Mohammed.

Mohammed added that Amnesty International South Africa has launched an awareness campaign about the crisis of early pregnancy in the country and is calling on President Cyril Ramaphosa and his government to play their part in combatting this.

“The state needs to ensure the fulfilment of all rights (housing, education, non-discrimination) that implicate the broader social determinants of health, including early pregnancy

“Early pregnancy is a crisis as it ultimately prevents adolescents and young girls from progressing in the most important years of their lives. To put a stop to this, Amnesty International South Africa is urging everyone living in the country to take a stand and add their voice by writing to President Ramaphosa and calling on him to ensure that government work together to address the high levels of early pregnancy in South Africa,” said Mohammed.

Mohammed emphasised that the campaign, in collaboration with True Love and their August edition, aptly titled #TheRealMaternityIssue, aims to ensure that the message reaches everyone in South Africa.

“We hope that the message will reach the people who have the power to influence our laws and policies to protect adolescents and young girls.

“President Ramaphosa it is time that you and your government take this issue of early pregnancy seriously and protect girls’ rights to health, information, education, equality and to live freely from GBV and discrimination.

“We encourage South Africans to help us play a pivotal role in raising awareness about the issue and to take action on the Amnesty International South Africa’s website – calling on the government to ensure that there is real change so our young girls are protected and capacitated with information to make informed decisions about their bodies,” said Mohammed.

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