Need for national research on teenage motherhood
A lecturer at the Sociology Department of the University of Ghana, Prof. Kodjo Sena, has called for a national research to ascertain the magnitude and dimensions of teenage motherhood to drive evidence-based policies and programmes for the vulnerable group.
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According to him, although there are some small-scale studies on the phenomenon, they are not comprehensive enough.
In his view, teenage pregnancy has economic, social, psychological, developmental, and political dimensions; hence, the need to identify the issues and find solutions to them.
Prof. Sena was speaking at a child and youth advocacy forum organised by the Child Research and Resource Centre (CRRECENT), a civil society organisation that seeks to promote child development.
The forum was on the theme: “Motherhood in Childhood.” It brought together non-governmental organisations, people in the academia, faith-based organisations, youth groups and relevant government agencies.
Coordinated development policies
Prof. Sena indicated that there were many issues arising from the phenomenon of teenage pregnancy, including national security and vicious cycle of poverty.
In the face of the problems, he argued that it appeared that teenage motherhood was the result of lack of nationally coordinated development policies and programmes that sufficiently addressed the problems of poverty and urban- biased development.
Some years back, he explained, some traditional norms and values such as puberty rites (known as ‘Bragoro’ among the Akans and ‘Dipo’ among the Krobo’s) prevented adolescent promiscuity and unplanned teenage pregnancy and also prohibited teenage motherhood.
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Values abandoned
Prof. Sena lamented, “In the face of the rapid social transformation, respect for traditional norms and values has been de-emphasised, so the traditional modes of regulating adolescent sexual and reproductive behaviour have largely been abandoned, giving teenage pregnancy and motherhood a new status,” he lamented.
He added that no section of the population should be left behind in the development process, including teenage mothers and their children; hence, the need for immediate solution to the menace.
He suggested a composite national research that would bring out the details and the dimensions of teenage pregnancy, as well as well-developed strategies to curb the menace.
Psychological effect
In his remarks, a Clinical Psychologist, Mr Ebenezer Tetteh Kpalam, lamented the psychological trauma that teenage mothers went through as a result of their condition, pointing out that the teenagers lost social support from family, friends, community and even the church and that led them to lose self- esteem, be depressed, and be mentally broken.
He added that the stigmatisation, rejection, isolation and trauma they faced made it difficult for most of them to move on or even continue their education.
Mr Kpalam, therefore, called for social support systems within the communities with well-trained and counsellors to guide teenagers and teenage mothers.
The Country Representative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Mr Babatunde Ahonsi, said Ghana needed to make investments in education, health and skills to give children better opportunities to reduce poverty.