Govt lacks data on teenage pregnancy, official admits

Speaking at Nzali Village on Thursday September 27 during a stakeholders’ workshop on how to curb teenage pregnancy, Ms Swai said efforts were made to try and get accurate statistics on the problem, but the work was being mainly done by nongovernmental organisations.

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By Habel Chidawali @TheCitizenTz hchidawali@mwananchi.co.tz
Chamwino. Chamwino District Community Development Officer in Dodoma Region Sophia Swai has admitted that the government lacks accurate statistics on teenage pregnancy and those getting married before the legally accepted age.

Speaking at Nzali Village on Thursday September 27 during a stakeholders’ workshop on how to curb teenage pregnancy, Ms Swai said efforts were made to try and get accurate statistics on the problem, but the work was being mainly done by nongovernmental organisations.

“Financial constraints and lack of proper organisation and coordination in various government departments are some of the main reasonsfor the existence of the problem,” said Ms Swai during a workshop organised by Women Wake Up, funded by the Foundation for Civil Society.

She gave examples of the education sector, Police Force’s gender desk, social welfare and those dealing with community development.

She said they all worked to fight against teenage marriage, but the problem came, when some admitted reports to the district security committeewere out-dated.