02 Dec 2024

Ngami District Health Management Team coordinator, Dr Sandra Maripe-Ebutswe has implored stakeholders including the community to eliminate barriers that deprived girls of their basic rights and limit their potentials. 

Globally, girls she said were faced challenges as they were deprived of their basic rights to education, health and safety, adding that in Botswana, many girls were faced with other social challenges such as substance abuse and barriers to education, particularly in rural areas. 

In the North West region, she decried some harmful practices such as early marriages, gender-based violence and limited access to reproductive health services persisted. 

Dr Maripe-Ebutswe made the remarks during the International Day of the Girl Child commemoration held under the theme; Girls, Vision for the Future on Tuesday in Maun, noting that it was possible to build resilient and empowered girls who are the next generation of leaders, scientists and innovators. 

According to UNICEF, 129 million girls worldwide, she said were out of school and adolescent girls were at a higher risk of complications from pregnancy and childbirth. 

“The theme reminds us of the incredible courage and determination of girls worldwide who are fighting for a better tomorrow against all odds. I have witnessed the potential of young women first hand and I am inspired daily by the resilience of young women who face health challenges yet persevere with hope and ambition”. 

In the North West region, she revealed that they had registered 376 teenage pregnancies last year and ‘we are currently at 200 for the year 2024. Research has shown that teenage pregnancy interrupts or delays them from fulfilling their life ambitions or life opportunities’. Teenage pregnancy, Dr Maripe-Ebutswe said was a risk factor for disruption of education, future unemployment, sexual transmitted infections (STIs) preterm birth and poor mental health, adding that the challenge not only hindered girls’ personal growth, but also robbed the society of their untapped potential. Furthermore, she pointed out that health was fundamental to girls’ ability to dream and achieve their vision, noting that without good health, girls could not attend school, pursue careers or contribute meaningfully to their communities. 

As such, the society, she said must ensure every girl had access to education, health services and safe environment and that harmful cultural practices that limited girls’ potential were eradicated. 

Access to reproductive health services, Dr Maripe-Ebutswe said was also critical, adding that girls needed accurate information and resources to make informed decisions about their bodies and futures. 

Programmes such as the HPV vaccination aimed at preventing cervical cancer, she said were essential for protecting girls and empowering them to focus on their aspirations, noting that the programme was available in the district and they were currently vaccinating the second dose to Standard Fives, having started this year’s in June with an uptake of 85 per cent. 

She also highlighted that mental health was another key area, saying girls needed safe spaces to talk about issues of stress, bullying and the pressures they faced, especially as they transitioned to adulthood. 

She called upon stakeholders to support girls by creating a world where they were protected, respected and empowered to achieve their fullest potential. To the girls, she motivated them to chase their dreams in order to thrive and lead. Delta Waters School manager, Ms Tildah Olsen concurred that challenges faced by girls required action to overcome them. 

The day aimed to raise awareness about gender inequality in education, health, legal rights, and opportunities and empower girls by recognising their rights and addressing the challenges they face. 

It also aimed to foster collaborations between government, organisations and communities to create enabling environments for the girls to thrive. Ends