AFRICA/KENYA - Bishops: "Let families take care of the emotional education of children"

Nairobi (Agenzia Fides) - "Parents have the God-given privilege and obligation to bring forth life and to nurture every life they bring forth, especially in matters of virtues, values, and character-building, including age-appropriate human sexuality education", says the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) in a statement read by Bishop of Nyahururu Rt. Rev. Joseph Mbatia at the Holy Family Minor Basilica on 21st, June 2020, during the Feast of Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Bishop Mbatia who is the Chairman of the Catholic Health Commission said that children are at high risk of domestic violence, alcohol, and substance abuse, defilement and lack of basic needs due to their age-related vulnerabilities during this coronavirus crisis and, therefore, robust and principled family upbringing is one of the ways to curb rising teenage pregnancies.
The Bishop of Nyahururu said that children are at risk of domestic violence from alcohol and drug abuse. "We reiterate our belief that strong family values and personal responsibility on nurturing and safeguarding children, can go a long way towards eradicating or significantly reducing child sexual exploitation and the resultant teenage pregnancies that scatter life-goals of our dear children", said Mgr Mbatia.
Bishop’s reaction follows an intense debate over alarming statistics from a Kenya Health Information System survey indicating a disturbing rise in numbers of teenage girls having conceived during this period of the Covid-19 pandemic. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 26/6/2020)

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