DR PHOPHI, WE DEMAND A PUBLIC APOLOGY!

In a failed bid to encourage abstinence and reduce teenage pregnancy rates, our Limpopo Health MEC, Dr Phophi Ramathuba, made an inappropriate comment during a school visit to Gwenane Secondary School in Sekgakgapeng Township. She directed a message to school girls "To the girl child I say: Open your books, and close your legs. Don't open your legs, open your books.." As an adolescent girl’s and young womxn organisation serving in Limpopo, we find this comment highly offensive and it inappropriately targets girls. 

The Minister’s comment reinforces the idea that adolescent girls are the only ones responsible for pregnancy. Whereas, there are many factors that contribute to increased teenage pregnancy, including the behaviour of boy children, statutory rape and sexual abuse. As opposed to acknowledging that the absence of sexuality education, lack of youth-friendly services at public clinics to obtain contraceptives and condoms and the social and economic factors that contribute to transactional relationships between school girls and older men - she indirectly puts the responsibility on girl children. Not acknowledging that even boy children play a role in teenage pregnancy.

We call on Dr Phophi:

• To issue a public apology on national television retracting the comment; "To the girl child I say: Open your books, and close your legs. Don't open your legs, open your books.." that was directed at school girls

Respect us please! As a womxn and public leader, she needs to do better in sensitizing herself about the realities of teenage pregnancy experienced by school girls.