South Sudan decries high teenage pregnancy rates

South Sudan has one of the highest teenage pregnancy rates in world, which stands at 300 per 1,000 live births and 18.4 per 1,000 adolescent birthrates, a senior official said on Friday.

About 300 adolescent girls per thousand in South Sudan get pregnant, according to Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Nadia Arop Dudi.

Citing a research conducted in South Sudan, Dudi said young girls in the country were often forced into early marriages and initiated into sexual relations.

Dudi said an estimated 40 percent of girls in the country were married off before age 18.

"This practice has been a major impediment to girls' school attendance where only 6.2 percent of girls complete primary school while 20.4 percent of females drop out of secondary school due to pregnancies," Arop said.

Currently, South Sudan is home to over 2 million young girls aged 10 to 24. Violence against women and forced marriages for teenage girls negatively impact both individuals and communities in the world's youngest nation.

"Pregnancies occurring at young age have greater health risks for mother and child, and many girls who become pregnant drop out of school or are dismissed from school, drastically limiting their future opportunities, future earnings, and their own health," Dudi said.

Fundira Esperance, the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) Country Representative in South Sudan, said teenage girls faced multiple risks during armed conflict in the country and may be targeted for violence, abuse and exploitation.

Esperance said early sexual initiation has related health risks.

The two were speaking ahead of the World Population Day on July 11 under the theme "Investing in Teenage Girls" this year. Endit