The National Council for Population and Development (NCPD), in collaboration with Population Services Kenya and other stakeholders, observed World Population Day at the Uhuru Na Kazi building in Mombasa County.

The event's theme centered on utilizing data for decision-making while investing in adolescents and young people. This focus was based on data highlighting the triple threats—HIV infections, Sexual Gender-Based Violence (SGBV), and early pregnancies—in the counties of Lamu, Mombasa, and Kilifi.

These rising issues underscore the necessity for more policies to protect future generations, as Joshua Muthoka from the County Commissioner’s office explained. "The cases of early pregnancies, HIV, and SGBV are going high day by day and this means more policies have to be implemented to safeguard the future generations from the threats," he said.

A Civil Society Officer emphasized the importance of addressing the root causes of these triple threats when formulating policies to mitigate them. "There are very many root causes that need to be addressed before looking for solutions of the threats. Issues of trauma, drug abuse and depression also highly contribute to the rise of the threats," she said.

Meanwhile, Enoch Obuolo from NCPD stressed the importance of using data from the Kenya Bureau of Statistics to inform decisions affecting youths and adolescents. "It is very important to use the statistics and the data provided to track and mitigate threats in the counties," he stated.

Written By: Mapenzi Kitsao