The Auxiliary Bishop of Juba Archdiocese is appealing to the parents in the society to allow young girls to grow mature biologically before marrying them or impregnating them to avoid future complications.
Bishop Santo Laku Pio mentions that young girls should be allowed to grow mature first until she is finally ready to conceive and be able to deliver without any complications.
A UN report in 2019 indicates that 70% of girls were married before the age of 18, which is significantly higher than the national average of 48% pre-conflict. Child marriage has increased significantly following years of conflict in South Sudan.
Bishop Santo Laku Pio points out that people should not mix things in society especially when it comes to issues of marriages.
He calls on the young girls and Boys to listen and respect their parents and elders in the society.
” I want to see children going to school, girls and boys continues their studies. The early marriage stopped people to have mature mind. They sometime gives birth to children whio can’t be able to walk.” Santo said.
The Catholic Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Juba made these remarks to Voice of Hope Radio in Wau.