Mathatisi Sebusi
MOKHOTLONG district continues to record the highest number of teenage pregnancies and child marriages, defying efforts to eradicate the twin evils that affect dozens of girl children in Lesotho each year.
This was revealed during a visit this week by a United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) team, the Minister of Gender, Youth and Social Development, Pitso Lesaoana, and representatives from Letšeng Diamond Mine, Vodacom Lesotho, and the Lesotho Highlands Development Authority (LHDA).
The delegation visited the Youth and Adolescence Corner implemented by SolidarMed with financial support from UNFPA, where adolescent girls and young mothers are provided with sexual and reproductive health services.
The District Medical Officer (DMO) for Mokhotlong, Dr Mosa Tlahali, revealed that the Youth and Adolescence Corner offers services to girls aged between 10 and 24 years.
She said most of these girls access services such as care for acute and chronic illnesses, HIV services, family planning, and maternal and newborn health services.
“Most of these girls are teenagers aged 18 and below. The majority are married to older men, while others are in sexual relationships with older men as well.
“We have high cases of teenage pregnancies and child marriages to the extent that we have alerted relevant authorities.
“We have engaged the authorities and informed them about the increasing cases of child marriages, which are mostly due to early and unplanned pregnancies,” said Dr Tlahali.
Early pregnancies are a major health concern in the district because young mothers’ bodies are not yet fully developed enough to properly sustain pregnancy and childbirth.
Dr Tlahali said the district experiences at least 25 home deliveries annually, where young mothers give birth — mostly prematurely.
“Children born prematurely are at high risk of dying before they reach one year.
“Severe malnutrition and stunting are also common among children born to young mothers, resulting in the district ranking first in malnutrition and stunting,” she said.
She explained that child marriages, teen pregnancy, and gender-based violence (GBV) often affect children who leave their homes to attend secondary school in town.
“These girls enter into sexual relationships with older men and often experience sexual assault,” she noted.
Her sentiments were echoed by the Head of the Child Protection Unit (CPU) at Mokhotlong Police Station, Inspector Seemane Nkhahle, who reported receiving many cases of child marriages and teenage pregnancies.
Inspector Nkhahle said when such cases are reported, they conduct investigations into possible criminal acts and ensure the law takes its course.
“We have a challenge of GBV in the district, but sexual offences and child marriages are the highest, especially among young girls.
“We investigate who impregnated an underage child or married them and charge them, including anyone who participated in the child marriage,” he said.
“To curb GBV, sexual offences, and child marriage, we conduct awareness campaigns and sensitise communities. Cases reported to us are taken to court.”
Minister Lesaoana emphasized the need to empower young girls so that they do not fall victim to child marriage, early pregnancy, and possible gender-based violence.
“Are you all aware that child marriage is a criminal offence and must always be reported? This has to be urgently addressed, and perpetrators must be brought before the law,” he said.
UNFPA Country Representative, John Kennedy Mosoti, said UNFPA is creating partnerships to support communities living in hard-to-reach areas around the country to ensure they are empowered and provided with sexual and reproductive health services as well as access to education.