EASTERN PROVINCE RECORDS OVER 31,000 TEENAGE PREGNANCIES IN 2025
Eastern Province recorded 31,261 teenage pregnancies in 2025, an increase from 29,111 cases recorded in 2024, raising concerns over the protection and welfare of the girl child.
Lundazi District Commissioner Marjory Mupashya Banda disclosed this today when she read a speech on behalf of Eastern Province Permanent Secretary Paul Thole during the provincial commemoration of the International Day of the Girl Child at Lundazi Boarding Secondary School.
Mr Thole attributed child marriages and teenage pregnancies to factors including poverty, harmful cultural practices, gender inequality and limited access to education and sexual and reproductive health information.
He called on parents, traditional leaders, government and cooperating partners to work together to end child marriage and protect girls’ rights.
Meanwhile, Save the Children Project Officer Martha Chiwete, who read remarks on behalf of Country Director Chilobe Muloba Kambikambi, called for stronger enforcement of laws against child marriage and improved access to education, healthcare and child protection services.
Ms Kambikambi emphasised the importance of involving girls in decisions affecting their lives and ensuring they have opportunities to realise their full potential.
This year’s International Day of the Girl Child is being commemorated under the theme, “End Child Marriage and Invest in Girls’ Rights.”