An NGO dealing with reproductive health in Homa Bay county has identified centres where it will carry out sex education to curb teen pregnancies.
Family Health Options Kenya and the county ministry of Health identified centres in Ndhiwa, Mbita and Kendu Bay where they will create sexual awareness.
Homa Bay’s teen pregnancy rate stands at 38 per cent.
"The sensitisation centres will provide reproductive health education to youths,” FHOK executive director Edward Marienga said on Tuesday.
The NGO attributed poverty and lack of sexual information to the rise in teenage pregnancies and school dropouts among girls. Marienga said poverty makes many young girls vulnerable to sexual predators.
He spoke on the sidelines of a youth summit in Homa Bay town.
He said they were making efforts by raising awareness among various actors in sectors of the economy to help curb the rising cases.
Among the measures is engaging boda boda riders who are accused as chief perpetrators of schoolgirls’ defilement. “We are engaging them to enhance reporting of defilement cases so legal action is taken against perpetrators,” Marienga said.
He said legal action will discourage people with intentions of perpetrating the vice.
Gender Affairs director William Otago and his Youth Affairs counterpart Michael Nyauchi said the government has formed a gender technical working group which will help in tackling rising cases of teen pregnancies.
“Members of the group are in the process of formulating strategies to reduce teen pregnancies. We also embrace plans by other groups who are on the same mission as the government,” Otago said.
Nyauchi said the government has begun empowering youths to make the right decisions in life.
Edited by R.Wamochie
