The Malawi Demographic and Health Survey report of 2024 has revealed that teenage pregnancies in the country have increased from 29 percent in 2015 to 32 percent.
The survey, conducted from May 13 to August 31 2024, collected data from over 22 000 households focusing on family planning, maternal and child health, malaria prevention, HIV awareness and nutrition.
| Steven Pembamoyo
Ministry of Health deputy director of reproductive health Hans Katengeza, reacting to the findings during a national engagement meeting on access to sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR) under a Step up 4 Access Campaign in Lilongwe yesterday, asked stakeholders to collaborate efforts to contain the situation.
“According to our policies, the 2030 target is to reduce teenage pregnancies to 15 percent but now we are moving in the opposite direction. We need to stand together, share one voice and be active enough to achieve our 2030 goals,” he said.
Youth accountability champion Cecelia Mphande said contributing factors include cultural beliefs which refuse to die, society perceptions of SRHR messages and conflicting interests.
“Imagine, as advocates we can’t go in schools to distribute contraceptives because the Ministry of Education will not allow that yet more teenage pregnancies are happening there so it’s a tough situation,” she said.
Mphande added that parents, traditional and religious leaders should be involved in SRHR interventions because they hold a key for the acceptance of targeted messages.
Step up 4 Access Campaign executive director Tatenda Songole said the project is being implemented in Kenya, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Malawi and Zambia where open discussion on SRHR is viewed as a taboo in societies.
“Most girls in these countries are victims of lack of access to SRHR services so this programme and this meeting are aimed at equipping activists, champions and all stakeholders on how we can break this challenge,” she said.
Tools such as the Cairo Programme of Action (1994), Maputo Plan of Action (2024-2030) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030 all advocate for Universal access to SRH services taking into consideration gender, family planning and health rights through appropriate education.
