South Africa’s foreign minister wants more done to tackle teenage pregnancy
MINISTER of International Relations and Cooperation of the Republic of South Africa Dr Grace Naledi Mandisa Pandor has argued that more must be done to confront the issue of teenage pregnancy.
“We must teach our young men and old men to leave our girls alone and to allow our girls to be children first, because both in our countries and other developing countries men do not understand their responsibility towards girl children,” said Dr Pandor.
“So we need to change the way that men perceive us and the fact that they do not recognise that we are human beings in society, and we are not their property,” added Dr Pandor.
She said women must also be empowered to resist abusive approaches from men, who often use money to get girls involved in sexual behaviours.
Dr Pandor, who is on an official visit to Jamaica, was speaking at a brief ceremony on Thursday at the Women’s Centre of Jamaica Foundation (WCJF) in Kingston, on the occasion of South Africa’s Human Right’s Day, which is observed annually on March 21.
The ceremony was followed by a tour of the WCJF, where Dr Pandor got a first-hand look at the facility and its programme offerings.
The South African minister commended the Jamaican Government for its support for teenage mothers through the WCJF.
“The centre and the Government of Jamaica must be congratulated for having such an initiative in place,” said Dr Pandor as she noted that similar facilities in South Africa tend to be non-governmental organisations that are supported through private financing and some public funding.
She was accompanied on a tour of the WCJF by Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport Olivia Grange; Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Senator Kamina Johnson Smith; and High Commissioner of the Republic of South Africa Lumka Yengeni.
Johnson Smith, in her remarks, said that the visit by the South African minister to Jamaica at this time is fitting, since the countries are celebrating 30 years of diplomatic relations this year.
“We are proud and honoured to have you here at this critical time, which is Human Right’s Day for the Republic of South Africa,” added Johnson Smith.
Noting the long friendship between the countries, she said that Jamaica and South Africa were together in the fight against apartheid.
“This has been something Jamaica has been very proud of: that together we overcame one of the worst manifestations of inequality and injustice, in apartheid,” said Johnson Smith.