Rukwa reduces early child pregnancy rate by over 20pc

RUKWA: RUKWA Region has made remarkable progress in reducing the rate of early child pregnancies, dropping from 29.4 per cent in 2019 to 9.25 per cent in 2023.

Acting Rukwa Regional Commissioner (RC), Ms Mwanamvua Mrindoko associated the achievement of the Plan International Tanzania through its ‘Girls Get Equal’ project and the Integrated Approach to End Early Forced Marriage (CEFM) initiative.

The project was implemented across three district councils including Nkasi, Kalambo and Sumbawanga covering 36 wards.

Ms Mrindoko’s remarks were presented by Nkasi District Commissioner Mr Peter Lijualikali during an event to mark the conclusion of the five-year CEFM project (2020-2024).

The ceremony, held in Sumbawanga Municipality was attended by senior government officials and development stakeholders.

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The CEFM project, funded by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD), was implemented in partnership with several local organisations, including RAFIKI-SIDO, People’s Development Forum (PDF), Rukwa Sustainable Development Organisation (RUSUDEO), Youth Education through Sports Tanzania (YES TZ), Chala Folk Development College (CDF) and the Rukwa regional administration.

“I sincerely congratulate Plan International for its tremendous work in Rukwa. The implementation of the five-year CEFM project has significantly reduced the rate of early child pregnancies and forced marriages from 29.4 per cent in 2019 to 9.25 per cent in 2023,” said Ms Mrindoko in a statement read by DC Lijuakali.

She also highlighted the project’s impact on school dropouts. The dropout rate in primary schools has declined from 6.9 per cent in 2019 to just 0.33 per cent in 2024 across the 116 primary schools in the 36 wards where the project was implemented.

Similarly, the dropout rate in secondary schools has also seen a significant reduction, falling from 6.0 per cent in 2019 to 0.59 per cent in 2024.

Evangelical Lutheran Church Tanzania (ELCT) Lake Tanganyika DioceseRukwa Bishop, Rev Imani Chibona urged parents in Rukwa Region to invest in their teenage daughters’ education and well-being, rather than marrying them off at a young age for dowries.

Speaking on the sidelines of a recent meeting, Bishop Chibona emphasised that investing in education empowers young girls, making it one of the most powerful drivers of sustainable development and social change.

“When parents invest in their daughters’ education, they are not just providing knowledge, they are empowering them to be agents of change and development,” the bishop said.

He added: “Unfortunately, some families in Rukwa continue to marry off their daughters forcefully in exchange for dowries, which only perpetuates a cycle of inequality.”

He also pointed out that forced marriages are rooted in patriarchal social norms and traditions that oppress women and girls, limiting their opportunities for growth and success.

However, Bishop Chibona highlighted that there is always an opportunity to correct these harmful practices and embrace more progressive values.

“Communities have the power to change, and it is never too late to break free from these harmful practices. The path to empowering girls begins with changing attitudes and norms,” he added.

In a related discussion, acting Project Director for Plan International Tanzania, Mr George Banyenza cited alarming statistics from the 2019 Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey, which found that 22,371 girls aged 15-19 in Rukwa (equivalent to 29 per cent of the region’s teenage female population) were either pregnant or had given birth for the first time.

Mr Banyenza also referred to the 2016 Tanzania Demographic and Health Management Information System (TDHMIS), which revealed that 37 per cent of girls in Tanzania are married before the age of 18, including both legally registered and informal unions.