UN Urges Sierra Leone to Let Pregnant Students Return to School

NAIROBI – The United Nations requested on Wednesday that Sierra Leone, the country most affected by the recent Ebola outbreak, allow pregnant women to resume their studies, as the schools closed due to the epidemic were recently reopened.

“The United Nations wants to remind the Sierra Leonean government that education is a fundamental human right, in which Sierra Leone is committed to respecting,” a UN statement declared.

Although the Education Act of the African country enshrines the principle of non-discrimination, the government issued an order preventing pregnant students from entering schools, which reopened their doors on Tuesday.

The UN implored authorities to put a stop to discrimination against pregnant adolescents, in accordance with international treaties, while also demanding that the country develop educational programs especially for pregnant students.

“Schools should be accessible without any discrimination and with affordable prices,” the statement issued from the UN headquarters in Sierra Leone added.

The UN also offered assistance to ensure the right to education for all Sierra Leonean youth, pregnant or not.

Around 1.8 million students in Sierra Leone returned to school after an eight-month delay.

Ebola has caused 10,600 deaths, 3,831 of which were in Sierra Leone, according to the latest report from the World Health Organization.