Save The Children [to 20 June 2015]
http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6150563/k.D0E9/Newsroom.htm

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Children Report Increased Exploitation, Teenage Pregnancies in Ebola-Affected Sierra Leone
FAIRFIELD, CONN (June 17, 2015) — Children across Sierra Leone report that exploitation and violence against girls has increased during the year-long Ebola epidemic, resulting in rising cases of teenage pregnancies, according to a new report launched today by three leading aid agencies.

Plan International, Save the Children and World Vision International, with the support of UNICEF, recently consulted over 1,100 girls and boys aged 7 to 18 from nine districts about the impact of Ebola, which has killed more than 3,500 people in Sierra Leone.

They shared their personal experiences and deep concerns about the devastating long-term effects of the crisis on their lives as part of the Children’s Ebola Recovery Assessment report. The study was conducted to enable children to contribute their feedback and recommendations to the Government of Sierra Leone’s national Ebola recovery strategy.

The children viewed the country’s nine-month school closure as being directly linked to increases in child labour and exploitation, exposure to violence in the home and community, and teenage pregnancy.

Most of the 617 girls interviewed said they believe that higher incidences of teenage pregnancy in their communities are as a result of girls being outside the protective classroom environment, exposing them to the risk of sexual exploitation or assault. Classrooms only reopened in Sierra Leone on 14 April, after a prolonged closure to help prevent the spread of Ebola, delaying the schooling of some 1.7 million children.

Some children (10 per cent of the focus group discussion participants) reported that vulnerable girls in their communities, especially those who have lost relatives to Ebola, are being forced into transactional sex to cover their basic daily needs, including food. Children saw this as one of several factors contributing to increases in teenage pregnancy…

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‘Prioritize Education or Jeopardize the Future of South Sudan’ – World Vision and Save the Children warn donors
June 15, 2015