Fight to end Aids and teen pregnancy
Girls as young as 13 succumb to pressure and become pregnant or get infected with HIV because they are not able to “negotiate safe sex”.
So says Sister Colleen Wagner, grant manager at The Networking HIV and Aids Community of Southern Africa (Nacosa).
She was speaking at a “safe space” dialogue at Mount Hope Church in Woodlands on Thursday June 20, where young mothers were invited to reflect on their pregnancy experiences .
The women were also taught about their health and how to protect themselves from sexually transmitted diseases.
The dialogue was part of Nacosa’s ‘My Journey programme’ which is run by Amandla Development, a non-profit organisation, that connects young people with health and social services.
Young mother, Elihle Kondile, 19, from Sweet Home Farm next to Jakes Gerwel Drive, said the event was overwhelming because it reminded her of her pregnancy.
She gave birth to her daughter in 2021 and was diagnosed with depression at the time, she said.
“I wish I had access to counselling and services then, I wouldn’t have fallen pregnant. I had to take care of my disabled brother during my pregnancy. It was a challenge but I managed,” she said.
She said loves her daughter, who is 3, and wants the best for her.
“I didn’t have a chance to be a child. I am being counselled now and working on a better future for me and my family,” she said.
Another young mother, Kuhle Solomon, 17, from Samora Machel, who attended the dialogue on Thursday June 20 and its sister event in Khayelitsha on Friday June 21 said she could relate with some of the mothers.
“It may have been the wrong time to have a child but I’m most concerned about my future. I’ll do something about it. Just because this happened doesn't mean I will stay behind,” she said.
Nacosa works with adolescent girls and young women to reduce teen pregnancy and HIV by providing psycho-social support and economic empowerment initiatives, to name a few. They are part of the Global Alliance to End Aids in Children by 2030, which was signed by 12 countries, including South Africa.
Bongiwe Mhlongo, Communication specialist for Nacosa, said the initiative uses "a strong, action-oriented alliance of multi-sectoral stakeholders at national, regional, and global levels“ to achieve its goal.
Ms Wagner, said adolescent girls and young women are challenged by social ills which in most cases is a result of teen pregnancy and not being able to “negotiate safe sex”.
“The pressures are heavy, that they succumb to pregnancy and Aids,” she said.
“The youngest mother was 13. Some of them mentioned that the baby daddies don’t experience the same ridicule as they do. Some drop out of school and some don’t have access to social grants, this is where we assist with a holistic approach,” she said.
South Africa has the highest number of children living with HIV in the world. The country also sees about 1 000 new HIV infections in children every year, said Ms Mhlongo.
Despite a slight decline in teenage pregnancy rates from 2020 to 2022, this remains a significant challenge, she said.
Nacosa’s adolescent and young people programme reaches over 200 000 young people across the country, she said.
Some of the factors contributing to teenage pregnancy and higher rates of HIV in adolescent girls are poverty, gender-based violence, lack of access to contraception, poor communication about sex between parents and teens, especially in rural areas, she said.
“Addressing teenage pregnancy requires a multi-pronged approach, including education and awareness, increased access to services, legal measures, and parental involvement,” she said.
Strengthening young women’s voices and the community organisations working with youth is crucial to overcoming these challenges, said Ms Mhlongo.
The patron for the Global Alliance to End Aids in Children, Humile Mashatile, was not able to attend on Thursday but visited Khayelitsha on Friday June 21 to learn about the province's efforts to end Aids.
For more information visit www.nacosa.org.za or www.amandladevelopment.org