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04 Sep, 2025
UDEMWO on worrying trend of teenage pregnancies in South Africa
The United Democratic Movement Women’s Organisation (UDEMWO) is deeply alarmed by recent revelations from the Eastern Cape government that more than 100 children between the ages of 10 and 14 have given birth between April and July this year, with close to 5,000 teenagers giving birth during the same period. These statistics are not only shocking but represent a tragic failure of society, government, and law enforcement to protect our children. The fact that so many minors are becoming mothers, many as a result of statutory rape, highlights the urgent need for a coordinated national response. While we welcome the cases opened by the police against adults accused of impregnating minors, UDEMWO insists that justice must not be delayed. Perpetrators of sexual abuse and exploitation of children must face the full might of the law. Communities must also take responsibility by reporting such crimes, rather than concealing them due to stigma, fear, or misplaced loyalty. UDEMWO calls on: 1. Government and law enforcement to prioritise child protection and strengthen efforts to end the cycle of abuse. 2. The Department of Basic Education and Health to intensify comprehensive sexual education, access to family planning, and psychosocial support for learners. 3. Traditional and community leaders to be active participants in protecting children and speaking out against practices that normalise child abuse. 4. Civil society and faith-based organisations to play a stronger role in advocacy, awareness, and direct support to survivors of abuse. This is not only a women’s issue; it is a human rights crisis. Our children deserve to be children, free to grow, learn, and dream, not robbed of their childhoods by predatory adults. UDEMWO will continue to advocate for stronger laws, better enforcement, and comprehensive community-based interventions to ensure that no child is left vulnerable to such abuse.
