Mandera Woman Rep Amina Gedow has raised concerns over the increased cases of child prostitution in North Eastern region.
Gedow was speaking after recent reports revealed that girls from the region such as Garissa and Mandera are being forced into prostitution.
Last week, a 15-year-old girl from Mandera was rescued by the police from a brothel in Nairobi’s Eastleigh after she was forced to get an abortion.
Gedow said that girls under the age of 18 are being taken and forced to operate as sex workers, a situation that has left many in shock.
Speaking to women groups in Takaba town in Mandera West on Sunday, the Woman Rep blamed the increase in cases of trafficking of children for sexual exploitation on parents, saying they have failed in their parental responsibilities.
“As parents, we need to know the whereabouts of our children and in whose company they are so that we can account for them and protect them against some vices in society.”
“We had a case of a young girl who suffered after she attempted to procure an abortion in Eastleigh and that was just one among many cases from this region,” said Gedow as quoted by nation.co.ke.
She urged parents to closely watch over their children adding that there is a group of women from the region targeting young girls for sexual exploitation in Nairobi.
“Traffickers cheat parents that their girls are going to join schools in Nairobi or get some kind of job. Documents to facilitate the travel are fraudulently obtained.”
“We have cases of girls running to Nairobi and renting houses in groups of two to three with the intention of engaging in societal vices,” added the Woman Rep.