ADDRESSING TEENAGE PREGNANCY AND MENTAL HEALTH IN BOJANALA: A CALL TO ACTION

By Precious Mupenzi

• The Bojanala District is facing a critical crisis with a sharp rise in teenage pregnancies and mental health challenges, particularly among young children.
• The Child Protection Dialogue, held at Platinum Village Primary School, brought together government departments, children, and caregivers to discuss the alarming trends and seek urgent, collaborative solutions.
• With over 5,900 teenage pregnancies recorded in 2023/24 and a significant number of suicide attempts among minors, there is an urgent call for increased mental health services, education, and community support to protect the future of Bojanala’s children.

The future of Bojanala’s children is in jeopardy as the district faces a deepening crisis of teenage pregnancy and mental health challenges. These urgent issues took centre stage at the Child Protection Dialogue held today at Platinum Village Primary School in Rustenburg, demanding immediate and collective action to safeguard the well-being of the district’s youth.

Hosted by the Department of Social Development in collaboration with the Departments of Health and Home Affairs, the dialogue brought together children, parents, and caregivers in a powerful display of community concern. The event provided a platform for children to voice their concerns and engage in meaningful discussions about the alarming realities they face daily.

The rising rates of teenage pregnancy and mental health issues among children in the Bojanala Platinum District Municipality were the focal points of the discussions. The dialogue, attended by approximately 250 children from various schools across the district, aimed to address these pressing issues and explore potential solutions. However, the statistics shared during the session painted a troubling picture of the future for many children in the region.

Ms. Neliswa Cekiso, Acting Chief Director for Child Protection within the Department of Social Development, revealed shocking figures related to teenage pregnancy and attempted suicides among minors in the North West.

“In 2023/24, Bojanala District alone recorded 5,929 teenage pregnancies. Additionally, the district saw a staggering 3,092 mental health-related visits, with 230 attempted suicide cases involving children reported in the province. These statistics reflect a growing crisis among our youth, and it is imperative that we address these challenges with urgency,” Cekiso emphasised.

Adding to the concerns, Sister Mathapelo Nkatsoane from the Department of Health highlighted the specific challenges facing the Bojanala District.

“We are witnessing cases of children as young as 10 years old giving birth,” she said. “From April to June 2024 alone, 521 teenage pregnancies were recorded in the district, with 17 pregnancies among girls aged 10–14 and 504 cases involving those aged 15–19.”

The mental health crisis was another pressing issue raised during the dialogue. Nkatsoane revealed that 27 children under the age of 18 in Bojanala had attempted suicide in recent months, with many cases linked to the pressures of early pregnancy, social challenges, and inadequate mental health support.

These alarming trends have prompted urgent calls for increased attention to mental health services and psychosocial support for children. The Department of Social Development, as the lead agency for Pillar 4 of the National Strategic Plan on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (NSP-GBVF), stressed the importance of placing children’s well-being at the forefront of its agenda.

The dialogue also forms part of the broader Child Protection 365 Days Programme of Action, which seeks to assess and enhance current interventions aimed at preventing violence against children and strengthening child protection measures. The initiative emphasises the critical role of education, early detection, and referral services in supporting families and ensuring timely intervention for children at risk.

The session further highlighted the importance of community and family support in building resilience against these challenges.

“By raising awareness about mental health and other social ills, and promoting the availability of psychosocial support services, the Department of Social Development and its partners hope to create a safer and more supportive environment for children,” Cekiso concluded.

As the Bojanala District grapples with the intersecting crises of teenage pregnancy and mental health issues, these discussions have underscored the urgent need for collaborative action. Both government and community stakeholders were urged to intensify efforts to address the root causes of these problems, including poverty, lack of access to health services, and inadequate education on sexual and mental health.