Lungu hailed for championing children’s rights

By KALOBWE BWALYA THE INTERNATIONAL Planned Parenthood Federation –IPPF- has commended President Edgar Lungu for being chosen by the African Union as Africa’s Champion on Ending Child marriages in Africa.

IPPF Liason officer to the African Union representative Sam Ntelamo said President Lungu’s appointment comes at a time when Africa needed to speak more about girl’s education and the need to end child marriages on the continent.

He said his organization saw the commitment by the Zambian government through the work it was doing in coming up with policies on reducing teenage pregnancies and marriages in the country.

Mr Ntelamo said his organization that deals with sexual reproductive health issues was concerned about the growing number of teenage pregnancies in schools and has proposed to introduce contraceptives in schools to cater for sexually active teenagers.

He however accepted the fact that the proposal to introduce contraceptives in schools had raised concerns especially amongst some churches and governments.

Mr. Ntelemo said this when he paid a courtesy call on Zambia’s Ambassador to Ethiopia and Permanent Representative to the African Union, Her Excellency Ms. Susan Sikaneta.

He also said a meeting would be held in October at the African Union among six countries including Zambia, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Botswana and Uganda, where proposals on Sexual Reproductive moral issues of giving contraceptives to sexually active children, would be discussed among others.

And Zambia’s Ambassador to Ethiopia Susan Sikaneta has urged the International Planned Parenthood Federation to consider other ways of avoiding or reducing pregnancies as opposed to introducing contraceptives to pupils in schools.

She said the proposal to introduce contraceptives in schools go against the teachings of Christ and go against the aspect of morality especially for a Christian Nation like Zambia.

Ms Sikaneta who is Zambia’s Permanent representative to the African Union-AU- also feared that introducing contraceptives in schools would further encourage immorality amongst pupils.

"The IPPF and other organizations must instead put up more sexual reproductive health messages that would encourage more young people to abstain from sex," said Ms Sikaneta.

Ms. Sikaneta also commended the IPPF for the work that it was doing in ensuring that Sexual reproductive health messages reached the masses.

She added that Zambia was proud that President Edgar Lungu was a champion for ending early pregnancies and child marriages in Africa.