Child marriage, teen pregnancy and school dropout remain persistent challenges in South Africa, with girls and young women disproportionately affected. UNICEF estimates that about 250,000 learners drop out of school each year. The Department of Social Development in the country links many of these dropouts to child marriage and teen pregnancy, reporting that 4% of girls are married before age 18.
Against this backdrop, we’ve been building momentum, leadership and partnerships to address the impacts of child marriage, teen pregnancy and school dropout in the country. In May 2025, we held a high level gathering in South Africa, bringing together nearly 40 members of parliament from G20 countries and Eastern and Southern Africa to discuss the economic benefits of investing in women’s health. The gathering was part of Ipas’s longer-term strategy to build legislative support for sexual and reproductive health and rights, following the 2024 launch of the Eastern and Southern Africa Parliamentary Caucus.
That growing leadership and collaboration culminated in March 2026, when Ipas Africa Southern Region partnered with South Africa’s Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities to convene a four-day dialogue on child marriage, teen pregnancy and school dropout in Johannesburg.
“When schooling is interrupted by early pregnancy, coercive relationships or economic hardship, the impact reverberates through families, communities and future generations,” said Hon. Mmapaseka Steve Letsika, Deputy Minister in the Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, at the event. “It is therefore important that we view teenage pregnancy not simply as a private circumstance or a single health event, but as a complex social issue that sits at the intersections of access to education and health care, gender equality, economic opportunity and community well-being.”
The convening brought together more than 70 participants from government, civil society, academia and community groups, including traditional and religious leaders. Participants also included youth, people with disabilities, and LGBTQIA+ community members.
The meeting opened with a youth dialogue, followed by a multi-stakeholder assessment using an eight-pillar framework. Participants then developed a high-level scorecard and launched it during a dialogue with key stakeholders.
“I felt I needed to attend because people with disabilities are often left out of these conversations,” said Nwabisa Makinana–Lovelife. “I came here to speak for myself as a person with disability and to speak for my community, but most importantly, for those who can’t speak for themselves.”
"When schooling is interrupted by early pregnancy, coercive relationships or economic hardship, the impact reverberates through families, communities and future generations.”
—Hon. Mmapaseka Steve Letsika, Deputy Minister in the Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities
© Ipas Africa Southern Region
“During the dialogue with youth, they shared their experiences with child marriage, teen pregnancy and school dropout and proposed solutions,” said Tafadzwa Madondo, regional policy and advocacy manager, Ipas Africa Southern Region. “On days two and three, we used Ipas’s ecosystem assessment tools to assess what’s needed most in South Africa to help girls build the futures they want.”
Government leaders and development partners participated in the scorecard launch, underscoring growing national support for addressing the CTS nexus.
“From here, I think we need to go back and engage with the boys, because it is our duty to educate them,” said Thembinkosi Nkumanda, religious leader from the Eastern Cape. “They should be able to protect their sisters.”
Norway’s ambassador to South Africa, Anne Beathe Kristiansen, reiterated how this work aligns with their long-standing commitment to the rights of women and girls, support for sexual and reproductive health services, access to modern contraception, safe abortion care, comprehensive sexuality education, and joint efforts to end child marriage.
“Ending child marriage, preventing early pregnancy, and ensuring access to safe abortions are fundamental to development,” she said. “They reduce maternal and newborn risks, strengthen societies, and most importantly, expand girls’ agency — the power to decide if, when and whom to marry, and to shape their own futures.”
In his closing remarks, Africa Southern Region director Chalumba Mutengo urged stakeholders to translate their commitments into meaningful action, emphasizing the need for sustained collaboration to address the challenges facing adolescent girls. He stated, “Let us leave here not only with commitments on paper, but with a renewed determination to ensure that every girl in South Africa has the opportunity to stay in school, access quality health services, and realize her full potential.”
He noted that lasting change would require collective effort and accountability from all partners to turn commitments into tangible results for girls and young women across the country.
Priority action areas identified at the convening include:
- Translate and share policies in youth-friendly language and strengthen accountability for implementation.
- Expand livelihood and skills programs for adolescents, alongside mentoring and efforts that keep learners in school.
- Reduce stigma and address harmful gender and social norms, including engaging adolescent boys and young men, at the community level.
- Strengthen adolescent agency through social media, safe engagement spaces and access to comprehensive sexuality education.
- Improve coordinated monitoring and evaluation through partnerships among government, civil society and academic institutions.
- Use advocacy, media and digital platforms to raise awareness and center adolescent voices.
- Ensure adequate financing, service availability, and government accountability, including engagement of the Ministry of Finance.
- Ensure that sexual and reproductive health and rights services are youth friendly, accessible and available in community health facilities, especially commodities, including contraceptives
- Strengthen partnerships with Ipas and the Department of Women, coordinating child marriage, teen pregnancy and school dropout implementation and alignment with national strategies.
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