More than 1,000 teenage girls in Lamu County have become pregnant in the past year, sparking national concern and prompting rights groups to demand urgent government action to tackle what they describe as a deepening gender-based violence (GBV) crisis.
A report by the Lamu County Gender Department, submitted to the Presidential Technical Working Group on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide, revealed that between 2023 and May 2024,
a total of 1,073 teenage pregnancies were recorded in the county. The majority of these cases involved girls between the ages of 15 and 19, with the highest incidence reported in 2023 alone—789 cases.
In a joint statement issued on Thursday, June 5, the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) and Muslims for Human Rights (MUHURI) strongly criticized the government, urging immediate intervention.
They stated that many of the pregnancies resulted from rape, defilement, and child marriages, highlighting what they called a failure of leadership at both the national and county levels.
“These young girls are being let down by the very institutions meant to protect them,” the two organizations said.
“Despite previous warnings and appeals, Members of Parliament, senators, and county governors have remained silent, leaving vulnerable girls exposed to sexual violence, lacking access to reproductive health care, and unable to complete their education.”
The organizations pointed to earlier research by the National Syndemic Disease Control Council (NSDCC) in 2023, which found that dozens of adolescent girls across the country were being impregnated every single day.
A Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (KDHS) report from 2022 had also flagged 10 counties, including Lamu, with alarmingly high rates of teenage pregnancies among girls aged 15–19.
In response, the KHRC has demanded that the Cabinet Secretary for Health, along with governors of affected counties, be held accountable.
According to the KHRC, these officials have failed in their duties to protect the rights of young girls and should not remain in public office if they continue to ignore the crisis.
“This is not just a statistic. The situation in Lamu is a damning reflection of systemic neglect. As we head toward the next general election,
Kenyans must hold their leaders accountable—from MCAs to governors and national officials—based on how effectively they have safeguarded reproductive rights and the futures of our girls,” the statement read.
The KHRC has put forth a list of specific demands:
- The Senate should summon the governors of counties most affected by teen pregnancies to explain what steps they are taking to resolve the crisis.
- The National Assembly should summon the Health Cabinet Secretary to clarify the current government policy on reproductive health and Kenya’s obligations under the Eastern and Southern Africa Commitment on Comprehensive Sexuality Education.
- The Cabinet Secretary for Education should present a clear plan to ensure all pregnant students are allowed back into school unconditionally, with access to counseling and psychosocial support.
Governors, especially in high-burden counties like Lamu, were issued five key action points:
- Take the lead in addressing the root causes of teenage pregnancy, including sexual violence and harmful cultural practices.
- Collaborate with Community Health Promoters and the Ministry of Education to ensure that pregnant girls are welcomed back to school and supported through their education journey.
- Publicly speak out against the stigma that pregnant students often face and commit to helping them stay in school.
- Partner with the Ministry of Health to fill policy gaps related to the prevention and management of adolescent pregnancies.
- Encourage parents and guardians to uphold their responsibilities under the Children’s Act and the Constitution, especially when it comes to protecting the well-being and safety of their children.
KHRC and MUHURI emphasized that failing to address these issues now would only worsen the cycle of poverty, school dropouts, and abuse, which continues to limit opportunities for thousands of girls in Lamu and across Kenya.
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