Civil society organisations are hopeful a new partnership to prevent teenage pregnancies and early marriages launched by the county could succeed.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Kenya Forum and Federation of Women Lawyers - Kenya (Fida-Kenya) officials said coordinated campaigns by stakeholders could yield positive results, adding that the vices were still rampant in the county.

Catherine Nyambura, the SDGs Kenya Forum’s Gender and Advocacy head, and Fida-Kenya Mombasa senior legal counsel Ilham Said welcomed the campaign launched by Governor Amason Kingi.

Ms Nyambura said the inclusion of civil society, grassroots representatives, county assembly and executive could make the campaign successful.

They were speaking yesterday during a forum ahead of the International Day of the Girl Child to be observed today. The campaign also seeks to enhance reproductive health services and have teenage mothers return to school.

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Last year, the county recorded 17,000 child pregnancies, forcing Mr Kingi to form a task force to look into the issue.

Kilifi Gender and Youth Director Shumaa Mwangome said: “We are working with stakeholders to support the empowerment of girls. We want to solicit more support from community-based organisations.”