Stakeholders in the gender sector in Homa Bay have called for concerted efforts to support the education of children and fight school dropouts.
The children's rights groups argued that many minors are dropping out of school because of various factors attributed to poverty.
They cited triple threat which includes teen pregnancies, HIV infections and gender-based violence as the leading factors that promote school dropout.
During the Day of the African Child celebration on Tuesday, Forum for African Women Educationalists (Fawe) coordinator in Homa Bay and Migori counties Eva Ojwang said educating a child is the best way of eradicating poverty in society.
Ojwang said all children should be accorded the opportunity to study to enable them to have a better future.
The theme for this year's celebration is ‘Education for All’
Ojwang faulted parents for contributing to high school dropout among teenage mothers.
“Let parents who still believe that their daughters or sons should be married off at a tender age stop. We must abandon some cultures which are no longer beneficial to the community,” Ojwang said.
FAWE is running a rescue centre in Mfangano Island, Suba North constituency where teenage mothers have been allowed to go back to school.
According to Ojwang, a group of teen mothers have sought refuge at the centre and are continuing with their education.
She called for more partnerships to ensure children in Homa Bay succeed in their education.
“It is important for concerned parties to work together as a show of commitment in advocating for the rights of children,” she added.
Boys and men have also been included in interventions meant to save teenage girls from school dropouts.
Among the initiatives is one being run by Fawe and it targets eight schools in Homa Bay.
“We normally meet during school holidays and hold talks for three days to learn from boys some of the factors they believe make teenage girls suffer in the hands of men,” Ojwang said.
Other stakeholders during the celebrations at Ndiru primary school in Homa Bay Town constituency included Dolphin Ochere (Homa Bay Gender chief officer), Patrick Awino (Homa Bay Children Services) and Torona Toby (Kisumu Medical and Education Trust (Kmet)).
They are supporting interventions meant to improve the education of children in Homa Bay
Ochere said the devolved unit has organised its second boy's mentorship camp later this month.
It is an initiative of Governor Gladys Wanga where teenagers are counselled to be responsible citizens.
“Such interventions are meant to save teenagers from falling into traps of early marriage and dropping out of school,” Ochere said.
Awino said it is a criminal offence to deny children the right to education.
“Sharing some moments with your child and getting to know what they learn in school is one of the greatest pillars in the development of a child,” Awino said.
Toby said his organisation is promoting child development through early learning.
He said every child should be allowed to play.
“Every child has a dream and what we should do is to make them realize them. They should actualise the dreams when they are mature,” ” Toby said.
World Vision representative Dorothy Ochieng said family squabbles are a major issue affecting the well-being of children.
She said some children are having mental torture when they are caught between fighting parents.
“We have children who get attacked when their parents fight. Domestic fights make children run away and drop out of school,” Ochieng said.