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{
    "id": 940690,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/940690/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 322,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Cherargei",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13217,
        "legal_name": "Cherarkey K Samson",
        "slug": "cherarkey-k-samson"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir for this opportunity. From the onset, I want to congratulate Sen. Kwamboka for coming up with the Care and Protection of Child Parents Bill (Senate Bills No. 11 of 2019). Article 53 53(1) (a) to (d) of the Constitution tries to espouse on the rights of a child. It says- Every child has the right- (a) to a name and nationality from birth; (b) to free and compulsory basic education; (c) to basic nutrition, shelter and health care; (d) to be protected from abuse, neglect, harmful cultural practices, all forms of violence, inhuman treatment and punishment, and hazardous or exploitative labour” Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, one of the causes of early childhood and teenage pregnancies is cultural practices. There is no Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in Nandi, but in the ancient times, some areas like Elgeyo-Marakwet practiced FGM. I am told that FGM is still practiced in Kisii, Samburu and among other counties. They imagine that after the girl has been circumcised and being designated – not designated like the series ‘Designated Survivor’ – but designated to a husband at that age. The United Nations (UN) definition of a youth is 15-24 years. In Kenya, a youth is between 18-35 years. Many teenagers in this country have been subjected to such cultural practices because the multi-ethnic Kenyan society has subjected young girls to this view. Nowadays, most of the culprits are the boda boda riders. Seeing that they have fluidity of money, they sweet talk these young girls who are still in primary school or high school and end up having children with them. We also have sugar daddies and sponsors taking advantage of our young girls. I want to agree with my colleagues on the fact that, that person has been taken to court, the judicial process has been finished and that person has been taken to prison, it should not end there. The mark that you leave on that girl is not just because somebody has been convicted and is in prison. We must look at some of the issues. For example, according to the United Nations Population Fund of 2017, 378,4000 adolescents of 10-19 years had teenage pregnancies in Kenya. According to a report released by the United Nations and the Ministry of Devolution, Nandi County has 102 births per 1,000 girls who are in the child bearing age of 15-19 years. This comes to come to around 16 per cent of the teenage population. Nandi County ranks the highest nationally because is it at 16 per cent. Coincidentally, we did not do very well in the census, yet we are told that we are very fertile. This issue of early teenage pregnancies is rampant in the country. This is as a result of economic and cultural issues. We have commercialized everything in this The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}