Gender Cabinet Secretary Hannah Cheptumo has urged Kenyans to take a more active role in protecting children from teenage pregnancies, saying the issue cannot be left to the government alone.
Speaking before the Senate plenary on Wednesday, Cheptumo said teenage pregnancy remains a growing societal challenge that demands collective effort, especially from families and communities.
She emphasized that early education and awareness can go a long way in preventing young girls from falling into the trap.
“We still need more funds because this is a societal problem, and we must all be able to address it,” Cheptumo told senators.
“We want all Kenyans to take care of our children. These challenges of teenage pregnancies can be addressed at a very early age when children are well educated and informed about what is happening in their biological processes.”
The Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (KDHS) 2022 indicates that although Kenya has made progress in reducing the national prevalence of teenage pregnancy, wide disparities still exist and these variations are informed by wealth, geographic location and education.
The survey shows a decline in teenage pregnancies in Kenya, with the adolescent birth rate dropping to73/1000in 2022 from 96/100096 in 2014.
The overall teenage pregnancy prevalence for girls aged 15-19 was 15% in 2022, down from 18% in 2014. Despite this national progress, significant regional disparities persist, with counties like Samburu (50%), West Pokot (36%), and Marsabit (29%) having the highest rates, while Nyeri and Nyandarua counties report the lowest at 5% each.
Factors such as poverty, lack of education, and limited access to reproductive health services contribute to higher rates in certain areas.
The CS appealed to parents and guardians to pay close attention to their children, particularly during school holidays when cases of teenage pregnancies tend to rise.
“It will not be left only to the State Department for Children’s Services,” she said. “All Kenyans must reach out to our children, especially when they are on holidays, and take care of them to ensure they don’t fall into this issue of delayed pregnancy. We must teach our children what is happening because some of them are innocent.”
Cheptumo noted that the government, through the State Department for Children’s Services, continues to play its part in prevention and rehabilitation efforts, but said sustainable success would depend on the involvement of ordinary citizens.
She also spoke about the rehabilitation and reintegration of affected children, saying the ministry is collaborating with neighboring countries through the East African Community framework to ensure all children, including those from foreign families, are safely reunited with their homes.
“These children are not only Kenyans; they are also foreigners,” she said. “We are reaching out through East African integration to ensure all these children are taken back and reintegrated into their family homes.”
Cheptumo revealed that a census had already been conducted to identify and trace these children, adding that preliminary findings show that some families involved are from other countries.
“The reports we are getting indicate that most of the families are not Kenyans only. We have Kenyan families and foreigners, and all these people must be informed where they have come from and be integrated back into their communities,” she explained.
The CS reiterated that combating teenage pregnancy is a shared duty that begins at home. “This is not just the responsibility of the government; it is the duty of all Kenyans to ensure our children are guided, protected, and educated about these issues,” she said.
