Lockdown leads to surge in teen pregnancies

Lockdown has coincided with an increase in teenage pregnancy in sub-Saharan Africa, where 1 million pregnant teens face difficulties in returning to school.

According to World Vision, a humanitarian aid organisation, teenage pregnancy spiked during the Covid-19 crisis, and is now is threatening to bar 1 million girls across sub-Saharan Africa from returning to school.

In a study titled “Covid-19 Aftershock: Access Denied”, the organisation says the pandemic caused “additional and unanticipated disruption”.

“School closures during crises can result in girls spending more time with men and boys than they would were they  in school, leading to greater likelihood of engagement in risky sexual behaviour and increased risk of sexual violence exploitation.” 

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