Adolescent mothers deserve a chance to re-live their youth

The World Health Organization defines adolescents as people between 10 and 19 years. Adolescents are among most young women who have been nursing children for the last two years, they got pregnant between July 2016 and June 2017 according to United Nations Population Fund.

Poverty, lower educational level, inadequate family support, and stigma contribute to negative health outcomes for both adolescent mother and her child. They face the risk of repeat adolescent pregnancies if they don’t return to school within six months after delivery, get married or live with a male partner where they are likely to be exposed to violence.

These girls deserve a second chance through specialised school programmes which can provide means of multidisciplinary services, parenting adolescents while keeping them in school.

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