Burundi – “Rejected by our families and at risk of life-threatening complications during pregnancy and childbirth, without the means to raise our children and often forced into marriage to survive, we teenage mothers live real nightmares.”
These words were spoken by Nadine Gahimbare, who dropped out of school due to early pregnancy, at the launch of a campaign to reduce teen pregnancies in Burundian schools. This has seen the rate drop from 196 pregnancy cases per 100,000 girls enrolled in 2012 to 175 cases in 2015.
Towards the end of last year, provincial education departments took part in a ‘competition’ to determine which Burundian schools (primary and secondary) had recorded the lowest number of pregnancies. This was the endpoint of the campaign launched at Busiga High School in northern Burundi on 16 November, for the 2015-2016 school year.
The campaign saw the participation of over 500 students and education officials from across the country. The occasion also marked the end of the 2014-2015 campaign, for which Ngozi province was the winner, with a reduction of 158 cases of school-based pregnancies. This was followed by Makamba and Rumonge provinces, with 107 and 98 case reductions respectively.
'Zero pregnancies at school'
In 2013, the Ministry of Education in partnership with UNFPA launched the national annual ‘Zero Pregnancies at School’ campaign. The objective is to ensure that no girl, whether in primary or secondary school, gets pregnant during her studies.
The place of girls is at school and not in the maternity clinic. – Dr. Janvière Ndirahisha, Minister of Education, Higher Education and Scientific Research
Data shows that from 2009 to 2015, almost 12,000 girls dropped out of school due to pregnancy.“The place of girls is at school and not in the maternity clinic,” said Dr. Janvière Ndirahisha, Minister of Education, Higher Education and Scientific Research of Burundi.
Since the launch of the campaign, provincial education departments have committed to reducing the number of pregnancies at school, with substantial progress made to date. In the period 2012 – 2015, the total number of pregnancies at school declined from 196 to 175 cases per 100,000 girls enrolled.
The situation of school-based pregnancy is critical in Burundi and will only be resolved with the commitment of all actors. – Suzanne Mandong, UNFPA Representative
The main strategies used to address a phenomenon that puts at risk the future of thousands of girls across the country includes the integration of comprehensive sexuality education in the school curriculum, the scale-up of youth-friendly sexual and reproductive health services, behaviour change communication through peer educators, awareness raising campaigns by community health workers in rural areas, and support for community actors and civil society organizations.
Suzanne Mandong, UNFPA Representative, said: “The situation of school-based pregnancy is critical in Burundi and will only be resolved with the commitment of all actors.” She highlighted the excellent relations between the Ministry of Education and UNFPA and the strong commitment of both institutions to work together on this critical agenda.
This year and for the first time in Burundi, UNFPA Burundi Country Office distributed 600 reusable sanitary pads to100 vulnerable girls at selected boarding schools during the launch of the Zero Pregnancy at School Campaign. “These pads will help in managing menstrual hygiene for our daughters and will strengthen their self-esteem, dignity and well-being,” said Reverend Sister Mathilde Kezamahoro, Director of Busiga High School.
By Janvier Ndizeye
