Nigeria’s population body, the National Population Commission (NPC), has forecast many teens getting pregnant as a result of the continuous closure of schools.
Schools have remained close due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Acting executive chairman of the NPC, Dr Tayo Oyetunji, said the cancellation of the West African School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), and the closure of schools put more girls at risk.
Oyetunji was speaking at the 2020 World Population Day held Saturday in Abuja.
He noted that there have been noticeable increases in gender-based violence ranging from rape to physical and emotional assaults on girls.
“In the absence of schooling, more girls are likely to drop out of school and other consequences could include early marriage and high fertility, morbidity and maternal mortality, abortion and low self-esteem,” he said.
Onyetunji was speaking on the theme: ‘Putting the Brakes on COVID-19: How to Safeguard the Health and Rights of Women and Girls Now.’
The event was designed to create international awareness on the urgency and importance of population issues universally.
Oyetunji said girls and women are worsened due to the limited access to health facilities as a result of the lockdown.
“COVID-19 did not make it easy for women to access and utilize reproductive health facilities, especially as the logistics of getting to health facilities were negatively impacted,” he said.
