HRW Report: Tanzania’s Shortcomings in Safeguarding Educational Rights for Pregnant Girls and Teen Mothers

Human Rights Watch recently highlighted concerns about Tanzania’s approach to the education of pregnant girls and young mothers. Despite calls for change, the government has not done enough to protect their educational rights. Many pregnant girls still face stigma and discrimination in schools.

The organization’s analysis of new government guidelines showed that they create hurdles for girls wanting to return to school after childbirth. For instance, girls may have to wait up to two years before re-enrolling. HRW criticized the government for not making clear the responsibilities of school officials in supporting pregnant students.

Statistics reveal a troubling trend: over 55,000 adolescent girls were expelled or dropped out of school due to pregnancy between 2003 and 2011. On average, about 5,500 girls leave school each year for this reason. In 2019, the Center for Reproductive Rights and the Legal and Human Rights Centre took action by filing a lawsuit against Tanzania, challenging the harmful policies that led to the expulsion of pregnant girls. These included mandatory pregnancy tests and a lack of educational opportunities for those who gave birth.

In a landmark ruling in 2022, the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child determined that Tanzania’s policies violated children’s rights, particularly by expelling pregnant girls without allowing them to return to school.

In response, on November 24, 2021, Tanzania’s Ministry of Education announced that students who dropped out, including adolescent mothers, could resume their studies. They provided guidelines to support these students, aiming to ease their transition back into education.

In February 2022, the ministry further detailed these guidelines for re-enrollment, attempting to create a more supportive environment for young mothers.

The African Committee has urged Tanzania to take important steps, including banning mandatory pregnancy tests and allowing pregnant girls to re-enroll in school without delay. They recommended removing the two-year waiting period and eliminating expulsion practices based on marital status, all to ensure that every girl has the chance to continue her education.