By a Correspondent
Zimbabwe is facing an escalating adolescent pregnancy crisis, with the prevalence of teen pregnancies rising dramatically from 9 percent in 2016 to 22 percent in 2023, a staggering 144 percent increase that has stoked urgent government intervention.
According to findings from the 2023 National Assessment on Adolescent Pregnancies, more than 358,000 pregnancies were recorded among adolescents aged 10 to 19 between 2019 and 2023.
Adolescents accounted for 21 percent of antenatal bookings in public health facilities, while young women under the age of 24 contributed approximately 25 percent of maternal deaths.
Teenage pregnancy is now a significant public health and socioeconomic crisis in Zimbabwe which among other difficulties it traps young women in a generational cycle of poverty.
It is one of the leading causes of school dropouts among girls. Over 4,500 students leave school annually due to pregnancy.
Without technical skills or an education, young mothers struggle to find formal employment. They often rely on informal trading or commercial sex work, exposing them to high risks of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.
Against this backdrop, the government has launched the National Framework for the Prevention and Response to Adolescent Pregnancies at Goromonzi High School.
The framework was launched in partnership with United Nations agencies, including UNFPA, UNESCO Regional Office for Southern Africa and UNICEF Zimbabwe, as part of efforts to reverse the worrying trend.
Speaking at the launch, Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Edgar Moyo warned that adolescent pregnancies are increasingly threatening the country’s social and economic development by limiting opportunities for young people and undermining national development goals.
“Adolescent pregnancy is not just a challenge affecting individual girls. It has profound implications for families, communities and the nation as a whole,” said Moyo.
He said when young people are forced out of school, exposed to poverty, violence and limited opportunities, the consequences extend beyond individual households, it negatively affects national progress.
Moyo noted that adolescent pregnancies continue to undermine educational attainment, gender equality, productivity, health outcomes and social cohesion while perpetuating intergenerational poverty.
“It affects our ability to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, our efforts to realise Agenda 2030 and our aspirations under Vision 2030,” he said.
Youth Empowerment, Development and Vocational Training Minister Tino Machakaire described adolescent pregnancy as a social, economic and developmental challenge that requires collective action.
“If we want a prosperous nation tomorrow, we must invest in the well-being of our children today,” he said.
The new framework adopts a “Whole of Government” and “Whole of Society” approach aimed at strengthening coordination among government ministries, development partners, communities, traditional leaders, schools and families.
Authorities say the strategy will address key drivers of adolescent pregnancies, including poverty, harmful cultural practices and social norms that expose girls to early pregnancies and child marriages.
The framework also incorporates the government’s “Not in My Village” campaign, which seeks to mobilise communities to protect children from abuse, exploitation and harmful practices.
Government and development partners say the initiative is a major step towards safeguarding the health, dignity and future of Zimbabwe’s young people, keeping more girls in school and ensuring they can realise their full potential while contributing to sustainable national development.
