Girls patronising bars worrying - SWAAZ

SOCIETY for Women and Aids in Zambia (SWAAZ) in Isoka has bemoaned the increasing number of underage girls patronising bars and other places selling alcohol for prostitution and beer drinking.

SWAAZ District Coordinator Brian Kaluba said his organisation was concerned with the alarming levels of underage girls between the ages of 12 and 17 that were patronising bars for prostitution and beer drinking.

‘‘As an organisation we are alarmed by the high number of underage girls that are involving themselves in prostitution and beer drinking.

This vice has the potential to contribute to high number of teenage pregnancies in the district and the spread of sexually transmitted infections,’’ Mr Kaluba said in an interview yesterday.

He said the district was likely to record high incidences of defilement cases, HIV and

AIDS infections, teenage pregnancies and early marriages due to underage beer drinking and prostitution among youths.

Mr Kaluba called on the

Isoka Town Council to shut down bars and revoke trading licenses for bar owners allowing underage youths to patronise their premises.

He said the local authority, working with the police, should also consider prosecuting all bar owners allowing underage patrons to safeguard lives of children.

He also appealed to parents and all stakeholders to ensure that they looked after their children and ensure that they did not enter beer drinking places.

Mr Kaluba said there was need for combined efforts from the council, police, the department of social welfare, SWAAZ, parents and other stakeholders to curb the vice which had the potential to ruin the lives of children in the district.

He also appealed to the local authority to put in place measures that would discourage bonanza machine owners from allowing underage from gambling.

Mr Kaluba said gambling among children in the district had become common as gambling machines were everywhere including groceries, bakeries and other open places.

As an organisation we are alarmed by the high number of underage girls that are involving themselves in prostitution and beer drinking.