1,400 girls impregnated in Bidibidi refugee settlement annually

Yumbe, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Refugee implementing partners in Bidibidi refugee settlement, Yumbe district are concerned about the high number of pregnancies among adolescent girls in emergency situations.

A statement issued by the International Rescue Committee-IRC and health implementing partners in the settlement, shows that an average of 1,400 girls become pregnant annually in the Bidibidi settlement, something they say has dire consequences on the well-being of adolescent girls.

“As the world marks the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence, the IRC warns of the effects of early pregnancy and sexual exploitation on the wellbeing of adolescent girls in emergency situations,” reads part of the statement.

Records at IRC indicate that over 4,000 girls under 18 years reported their first antenatal care (ANC) visit at various health facilities in Bidibidi refugee settlement between January 2020 and September 2022. Nearly 2,000 teenage deliveries were reported at the various health facilities in Bidi Bidi refugee settlement during the same period.

Elijah Okeyo, the Country Director International Rescue Committee (IRC) attributes the high burden of teenage pregnancies in the settlement to neglect of critical sectors and social services like education and child protection during the COVID-19 response.

“With all focus drawn to the COVID-19 response and now the Ebola outbreak in Uganda, some critical sectors and social services have been deprioritized. It is high time attention is brought back to key sectors such as education, child protection, and targeted sexual health and rights information and services for young girls and boys”, he said.

Alli Drasi, the Yumbe district social services secretary says that there is a need for concerted efforts by the key stakeholders to tackle the vice of teenage pregnancy in the refugee settlement. “The parents should get a chance to see that their children if taken through education will be very important people. We should work together to ensure our children are protected,” Drasi said.

According to the latest refugee statistics by UNHCR, as of October 31, 2022, the Bidibidi refugee settlement is home to 193,156 refugees and asylum seekers.

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