Health and sexual rights

Almost a third of all women in developing countries have their first child at the age of 19 or younger. This is according to the latest “Motherhood in Childhood” study published by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in June 2022.

Pregnancy and childbirth at a young age can have serious health consequences for young mothers and their babies. In Zimbabwe, early and teenage pregnancies are responsible for around 30 percent of maternal deaths, according to the UNFPA Zimbabwe fund. Early pregnancies also have a negative impact on girls’ education and on securing their livelihoods. Studies show that there are various reasons for the high number of teenage pregnancies: early first sexual experiences, child abuse and difficult access to contraceptives. Even though the new Education Act of 2020 still allows pregnant girls to attend school, implementing the law is a challenge.

Freeing women from dependency

Another cause of teenage pregnancies is early marriage: according to UNFPA Zimbabwe, 19 percent of teenage pregnancies in the country are due to this. In addition, the prevailing economic situation in the country and growing poverty have significantly increased the rate of teenage pregnancies. Due to the precarious economic situation and lack of sex education, young women often engage in sexual intercourse with older men in order to survive. Due to the power imbalance, adolescent girls and young women can hardly speak out in favor of safer sex.

terre des hommes schweiz and its partners have been working in Zimbabwe since 2012. It is clear that working with young people and raising awareness in the social and community environment is having an impact when it comes to reducing the high rates of teenage pregnancies. Practical experience on the ground and scientific findings clearly show that a lasting positive change in health behavior is the result of coordinated and simultaneous awareness-raising with young people and their environment. It is important to reach the young people themselves, their families, the communities and the most important organizational and political levels.

With young people for young people

terre des hommes schweiz focuses on young people and their participation. However, the participation of young people in the public sphere is only possible if they gain the confidence to express themselves and are given the opportunity to do so. The aim is therefore to involve the partner organizations and their youth leaders in all strategic discussions and processes. Sandra Chiomvu, a youth worker from our partner organization CBO Million Memory Project Zimbabwe (MMPZ), never tires of emphasizing: “Nothing for the young people without the young people!”.

In cooperation with the Zimbabwean organization Katswe Sistahood, terre des hommes schweiz promotes advocacy work in Zimbabwe. Interested young people are shown the basic principles that will benefit them if they wish to participate publicly in shaping politics in the country. The results are impressive: Katswe Sistahood has worked with young people to produce a policy paper on teenage pregnancy and a handbook on how young people can get involved in parliament. Meetings have already been held with members of parliament, where young people and all partner organizations have been in contact with political decision-makers. A petition has also been submitted to Parliament demanding that key laws relating to teenage pregnancy be revised. The petition has since been acknowledged and our partner organizations have the opportunity to speak to key parliamentarians. So after just one year, the lobbying work has already shown considerable results and the advocacy of young people for young people in Zimbabwe seems to be meeting with acceptance. The insights gained by terre des hommes schweiz in Zimbabwe can also be incorporated into the work of partner organizations in other project countries in the future. Because only if a broad public understands the importance of the work of NGOs will strategies of defamation and delegitimization come to nothing.

Author: Hafid Derbal, Program Coordinator Zimbabwe and South Africa, responsible for sexual and reproductive health and rights