Amnesty Calls On Gov’t To Lift Ban On Pregnant School Girls

By Jane B. Mansaray

Amnesty International yesterday called on the government of Sierra Leone to lift the ban on pregnant girls in school.




Over a year ago now the government of Sierra Leone through the Ministry of Education placed a moratorium on pregnant school girls from going to school.
This according to the Executive Director Amnesty Sierra Leone is a big concern to them as rights advocates.
Mr. Solomon Sogbandi said that it is a complete violation of their rights to education.  He noted that pregnancy should not be a disease to school going girls and strongly appealed to the media to understand their views.
The West and Cultural Regional Director of Amnesty International said they have met with certain stakeholders in Sierra Leone and partner countries to take strategic measures to protect young girls.
Reading the press release, researcher West Africa, Madam Sabrina Mantani said the continued pregnancy ban in schools, and failure to protect such rights is threatening teenage girls’ future.
She said Sierra Leone must lift the deeply discriminatory ban on visibly pregnant girls attending schools and taking exams. This according to her is an unfair and humiliating policy that puts all girls at risk of abuse.

* Does Amnesty Know the  negative impact of clustering pregnant teenagers with non pregnant teenagers?  There is so much at stake and so much to lose if the Government should succumb to this inappropriate arrangement suggested by Amnesty.
Dear Amnesty we respect your concern towards us, but please we do not want to record the highest rate of teenage pregnancy the world has ever known. Endorsing pregnant teenage girls to sit together in a class with those children Who are not pregnant is like saying its okay to get pregnant. We Shall not concede to this request.* Thank You

VERONKAY