Communities in Tana River County abetting harmful cultural practices like child labor, early marriages, and teen pregnancies have been urged to change their mindset to eradicate rampant vices against children.
Tana River Sub-County Children’s Officer Maria Mbote said there are some traditions and lifestyles in Tana River that affect children’s education.
“There are those who are laborers at irrigation schemes, there are those who are sent to Garissa to do housework and there are those who herd cattle,’’ Mbote said.
Parents were advised not to neglect their parental responsibilities of providing food, clothing, medical care, a good place to live, education, and life guidance to their children as a result of divorce or poverty.
“When children are neglected you will find them wandering around the city picking up bottles to earn a living and others get involved in crime,’’ stated the Children Officer.
“There is this tendency of having sexual relations with children, she said, that there are pregnant children aged 14, 15, 16, and 17 years depriving the child of education,” she said adding “This behavior affects the girl child and interrupts her studies, also gives her the burden of parenthood. Giving birth itself is a problem”.
The department of children in partnership with Plan International is creating awareness about the effects of vices like Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) which is rampant among pastoralist communities.
