The report, Shamed and blamed: Pregnant girls’ rights at risk in Sierra Leone, reveals how the prohibition, confirmed by the government in April this year and sometimes enforced through humiliating physical checks, not only stigmatizes an estimated 10,000 girls but risks destroying their future life opportunities. With exams scheduled for 23 November, Amnesty International is calling on authorities to immediately lift the ban.
“Excluding pregnant girls from mainstream schools and banning them from sitting crucial exams is discriminatory and will have devastating consequences. Education is a right and not something for governments to arbitrarily take away as a punishment,” said Sabrina Mahtani, Amnesty International’s West Africa Researcher.
“As Sierra Leone moves forward from the devastating Ebola crisis, it is vital that these girls, are not left behind.”
On 2 April the Minister of Education, Science and
Technology issued a statement banning pregnant girls from “school
settings”. The justification given for this policy – namely to protect
“innocent girls” from negative influences – only serves to reinforce
stigma through language that blames and shames pregnant girls.
Amnesty International has documented how this ban has been enforced
in some schools through humiliating and degrading treatment of girls.
Girls have been subjected to degrading physical searches and tests. Some
have had their breasts and stomachs felt by teachers to “test” for
pregnancy. Others have been compelled by their school to take pregnancy
tests.
Amnesty International interviewed 52 girls, some of whom
said they felt scared at the possibility of being accused of being
pregnant, while others described the feeling of humiliation at being
physically assessed.
“They touched our breasts and stomachs to see if we were pregnant. Some girls were made to take urine tests. One of the teachers was wearing gloves when she was checking us. I felt really embarrassed when this happened to me. Many girls left as they were scared the teachers would find out they are pregnant. About 12 pregnant girls did not sit their exams.”
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