Ten-year-old girls in Kenya put on contraceptives

Mercy Juma

BBC Africa, Nairobi

AFPCopyright: AFP

Girls appeared only to be concerned about pregnancy and not infectionsImage caption: Girls appeared only to be concerned about pregnancy and not infections

Some parents in Kenya are putting children as young as 10 on contraceptives in an attempt to keep them in school, the BBC has learnt.

Across the country one in five girls between the ages of 15 and 19 are reported to be pregnant or have a child already.

In Kwale County near the coast, the rates of girls dropping out of school due to pregnancy are among the highest in the country.

There, a reproductive health nurse told the BBC that about 10% of girls who came for contraceptives were below the age of 14.

He said it was worrying that they were only concerned about pregnancy but not about contracting HIV or sexually transmitted infections.

Proposals to introduce sex education in schools have been harshly criticised by political leaders, and termed immoral by religious leaders.