Page 30 - bon-dia-aruba-20220113

A30 world news
Diahuebs 13 Januari 2022

With more girls pregnant, Zimbabwe pushes a return to school

Families often try to negoti- persuaded only one child to
ate with the offender, pres- return to school in Murehwa
suring him to marry the girl — a poor rural township of
and give her family cattle or mostly small farmers dealing
money, Nyathi said. Then with the fallout of drought,
they agree to not report the about 50 miles (80 kilome-
case to police — ultimately ters) from the capital, Harare.
“assisting in the abuse of the
girl,” he said. That girl lasted only a week
in school, Chitongo said.
Police said they couldn’t pro- She sees resistance from par-
vide data related to prosecut- ents, community leaders and
ed or reported cases. Nyathi teachers — in addition to the
said a tally would be ready by girls themselves. “Most par-
the end of January — but any ents are still steeped in the
figures are likely an under- old way of doing things,” she
count. said. “They prefer to have the
child married, even if she is
Zimbabwe does have figures under the age of 18. They tell
on pregnancies in girls who us, ‘I am already struggling to
drop out of school — and take care of my family; I can’t
while they show an alarming afford an extra mouth when
increase, officials say they, the girl gives birth.’ So chil-
too, likely reflect an under- dren are being chased away
count, as many girls simply from home.”
leave without giving a reason.
Some schools also discourage
In 2018, about 3,000 girls girls from returning, despite
dropped out of school na- the recent change, Chitongo
tionwide because of pregnan- said.
cies. In 2019, that number
remained relatively steady. In “Sometimes headmasters
2020, the number rose: 4,770 tell us that they don’t quite
pregnant students left school. understand how the policy
And in 2021, it skyrocketed: works and they refuse to ad-
(AP) — Inside a sparse- About 5,000 students got mit the children,” she said.
ly furnished two-room This story is part of a year- Activists and authorities pregnant in just the first two “They complain that preg-
home in rural Zimbabwe, long series on how the pan- hailed the move as a signifi- months of the year, according nant girls are not focused.
a 3-month-old baby cries. demic is impacting women cant step in the developing to women’s affairs minister Some simply tell us that the
His mother, Virginia Ma- in Africa, most acutely in the nation, but so far the new Sithembiso Nyoni. school is full.”
vhunga, spends her days least developed countries. policy has largely failed.
making trips to the well The Associated Press series Most girls haven’t returned Across Africa, Zimbabwe Often girls are unaware they
with a bucket on her head, is funded by the European to school, with authorities isn’t alone: During the pan- have a right to remain in
selling fruits and veg- Journalism Centre’s Europe- and families citing economic demic, Botswana, Namibia, school. They’re then forced
etables at the roadside, an Development Journalism hardship, deep-seated cultur- Lesotho, Malawi, Madagas- to find work, frequently as
cooking, cleaning, wash- Grants program, which is al norms, and stigma and bul- car, South Africa and Zambia housemaids, to support their
ing clothes — she has too supported by the Bill & Me- lying in class. Virginia tried to “all recorded a steep rise in children, Chitongo said. Or
much on her hands to of- linda Gates Foundation. The return to school while preg- cases of sexual and gender- they go to the men who im-
fer her child, Tawananya- AP is responsible for all con- nant under the policy change. based violence, which has pregnated them.
sha, much comfort. tent. The spread of coronavi- Officials encouraged her and contributed to a reported in-
rus intensified the situation. her parents. But she was the crease in pregnancies among Virginia’s father ignored ad-
“That’s my life now, every butt of jokes and the subject young and adolescent girls,” vice from neighbors to make
day,” the new mother said. The country of 15 million of gossip in a community not according to an Amnesty In- his daughter leave home. Her
Between the chores of her people imposed a strict lock- accustomed to seeing a preg- ternational report. mother wanted to protect
strict routine, Virginia pre- down in March 2020, closing nant girl in a school uniform. her, and that included keep-
pares her four younger sib- schools for six months and The continent has one of ing her out of school and
lings for school and helps reopening them only inter- the highest pregnancy rates away from harassment.
them with homework when mittently. Girls in particular “People would laugh at me. among adolescents in the
they return. It’s these tasks were left idle and shut out Some would point and ask in world, according to the Unit- Virginia vows to return to
that hit Virginia the hardest from access to contraceptives ridicule; ‘What’s up with that ed Nations, and Zimbabwe school someday, though. She
— because, at age 13, she, too, and clinics; the troubles of belly?’” she said, looking at a and a handful of other na- misses her classes, her peers.
would rather be in school. impoverished families wors- photo of herself in the purple tions now have laws or poli- She wants to graduate and be
ened. uniform. She has since sold cies to protect girls’ educa- accepted to a university, so
Virginia is part of a steep in- it for $2 to pay for the baby’s tion while pregnant. she can get a degree and repay
crease in pregnancies among Many girls became victims clothing and other needs. her parents’ faith in her by
girls and teenagers reported in of sexual abuse or looked to Zimbabwe’s change in law building them a bigger home.
Zimbabwe and other south- marriage and pregnancy as Under the law, people con- gave community workers
ern African countries during a way out of poverty, advo- victed of sexual intercourse an opportunity to encour- “I would rather return to
the pandemic. Zimbabwe cates and officials said. Be- or “an indecent act” with any- age girls to return to school. school than get married,” she
has long struggled with such fore the pandemic, many one younger than 16 can get a Through a group that pro- said. “I am not afraid of going
pregnancies and child mar- such girls were “relegated as fine or up to 10 years in jail. motes girls’ rights, Tsitsi back to school once my child
riages. Before COVID-19 a lost cause,” said Taungana But most incidents never get Chitongo held community is older. They may laugh at
hit, one of every three girls in Ndoro, an education offi- that far. Families and officials meetings and knocked on me now, but I am dedicating
the country was wed before cial in Zimbabwe. But faced have long tried “to sweep the doors to speak with families all my spare time and week-
age 18, many with unplanned with the rising numbers, the cases under the carpet or ... in remote, rural areas. ends to reading and catching
pregnancies, because of lax government in August 2020 force marriages on the mi- up. “This is not the end of
enforcement of laws, wide- changed a law that had long nor,” police spokesman Paul But the lack of enthusiasm the road, just a forced break.”
spread poverty, and cultural banned pregnant students Nyathi said. from families jolted her. By
and religious practices. from schools. November, her group had