Religious leaders will on Friday converge in Nairobi to discuss the issues affecting adolescents among them the rise in teenage pregnancies.
The National Council for Population and Development said the conference which will take place at Ufungamano house brings together religious leaders from various entities.
“It is all systems go as the religious leaders' conference on ending the Triple Threat of new HIV infections, GBV and Pregnancy among adolescents commences,” NCPD said.
The participants include the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops, the National Council of Churches of Kenya, the Evangelical Alliance of Kenya and the Organization of African Institute Churches of Kenya.
Others include the National Muslim Leaders Forum, the Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims, the Seventh Day Adventist Church, the Hindu Council of Kenya, SAAJ and the Inter-Religious Council of Kenya.
Kenya is committed to ending AIDS as a public health threat and addressing all forms of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence by 2030.
Dubbed the Double Threat, the risk of HIV infection, adolescent pregnancies and sexual and gender-based violence have persistently undermined the health, education and economic empowerment of young girls.
According to the National Syndemic Diseases Control Council, Kenya has made significant investments to ensure adolescents and young people are educated, enjoy a healthy life, and attain their aspirations.
However, new HIV Infections, adolescent pregnancies and sexual and gender-based violence threaten this progress.
“Sexual violence increases the risk of both HIV infection and pregnancy, threatens a young woman’s agency to negotiate for sex and safer sex, increasing her risk of HIV infection, unintended pregnancy, and other negative health and socioeconomic outcomes,” the council said.
Adolescent pregnancy may be an indication of harmful cultural practices such as Female Genital Mutilation and child marriage which infringe on basic human and child rights.