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{
    "id": 490955,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/490955/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 79,
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    "content": "So, some of these men are over 30; some of them are in their 20s; some are aged 18 while others are over 18. This is the policy of “hit and run.” When the ladies were asked, they said that the men are reluctant to enter into the institution called marriage. Men said that the ladies are now educated; they are earning, hence they have an independent source of income and, therefore, they are not also ready to enter into this thing called marriage and yet the family is a basic unit of our society. So, what we are discussing here is not something small; it is quite big. But within that, the children must get special protection. Therefore, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, like other speakers before me have stated, would we say that the Government has a duty to cater for the youth and children of Kenya? The Government does not just have a duty; it has a constitutional duty to take care of the children. Now, we do not see that focus on the part of Government policies when it comes to children. Generally, of course, poverty is being dealt with, and so on, but that duty to ensure that the child gets basic education; that constitutional responsibility to ensure that the child gets health care; that duty to ensure that the child is properly sheltered and is not a street child so that we have a whole line of street children whose grandmother is maybe in her twenties but the child and the mother are all children, and so on, and so forth---. The duty on part of the Government is to provide shelter for these particular children; not necessarily for the adults because they are supposed to take care of themselves. But for children, policies must be put in place to take care of them. Therefore, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, to the extent that this Motion highlights that duty on the part of the Government, I fully support it because it is just coming up with something that the Government is not doing. We must have proper and effective mechanisms that will help establish a comprehensive capacity building programme for teenage parents to ensure that they practice responsible family life. But even more than that, we need to provide for these teenage parents to ensure that they complete their education so that they can play a youthful role in society. In fact, if I may say so, as far as The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}