•CS Ukur Yatani urges men to be caring and protective of the girl child in their lives
•CS reiterates government's commitment to reducing teen pregnancies
Image: EZEKIEL AMING'A
The government will empower parents and caregivers across the country during the Covid-19 period so that they can protect their children from teen pregnancies.
Treasury CS Ukur Yatani in a statement on Saturday said this is an integral part of the National Action Plan on Teenage Pregnancy.
The statement was made during World Population Day celebrations, which were held at the KRA Auditorium in Nairobi.
“The implementation of the National Action Plan requires a well-coordinated national mechanism. The goal of the plan is to strengthen a multisectoral sustainable and coordinated response to prevention of teenage pregnancy,” Yatani said.
The CS further urged men to be caring and protective of the girl child.
“All of us especially parents have a stake in the future of this great nation. I would like to appeal to men and boys; be your sisters’ or daughters’ keepers,” he said.
Yatani also acknowledged that the closure of schools due to the pandemic may have accelerated the rate of teen pregnancies.
He urged parents to be considerate of their children’s needs for open communication regarding sexual issues.
“During the national dialogue on teenage pregnancy on 4th March 2020, the young people in the meeting appealed to parents/guardians to have open, non-judgmental communication regarding sexuality with their teenage children,” he said.
He reiterated that the government is committed to safeguarding families as the core of Kenyan society as had been underlined by President Uhuru Kenyatta in his national address on Monday this week.
Uhuru directed the National Crime Research Centre to move swiftly and investigate increasing cases of gender based violence and teenage pregnancy.
He said his administration is concerned by increasing tension within homes across the country.
He said cases of gender-based violence have risen, mental health issues have worsened, and instances of teenage pregnancy escalated.
“I appeal to social institutions, including the religious institutions, to exercise civic responsibility to bring these unfortunate trends to an end,” he said.
Uhuru said a family is a projection of the state and if the same family is under attack, the state is under attack.