Working Together to end child marriage and Teenage Pregnancies - Culture, Human Rights and Accountability.

Working Together to end Child Marriage and Teenage Pregnancies.

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to colliding pandemics with HIV/AIDS. The duo has impacted all aspects of life. The former has disrupted education, health, incomes and has exposed young girls to teenage pregnancies and child marriages. Government of Uganda and partners such as World Vision have made to eliminate all forms of violence against the girl child. However, COVID-19 has undone a lot of achievements towards that direction. More so, the closure of schools has placed the young girls in the jaws of sexual predators. Therefore the National Girls Summit, under the theme, “Working together to end child marriage and teenage pregnancies  - culture, Human rights and Accountability,” brought together young girls, women, Government and civil society actors, through the National Alliance of Girls Not Brides Uganda, to share about the difficulties that have been wrought unto them in the communities.

“The fourth National Girl’s Summit of Uganda is aimed at increasing commitments to accountability by governments and regional leaders on expanding policy, financial and other support to end violations against girls,” said Moses Ntega, National Coordinator Girl’s Not Brides Uganda.

Richard Ramsey, World Vision’s Program Quality Control Director noted that 1 in 5 teenage girls in Uganda is a mother, adding thatUganda has the 10th highest number is child mothers globally. “It is time to fulfill the promises we have made towards ending child marriages,” he said.

The summit unearthed some unusual causes of Chile marriage. According to Rose Nyanime (16), a representative from Kiryadongo Refugee Settlement, Child Labour is very common in refugee settlements and the girls decide to get married thinking they will be relieved. She also noted that the inadequate supply of water in settlements has increased school dropout especially during menstruation in addition to the lack of proper equitable parenting has exposed girls to the snares of child marriage and teenage pregnancies.

According to the girl representatives on the reasons increasing teenage pregnancies and child marriages, there is a problem of impunity of perpetrators especially when the parents don’t want the incident to spread or when the perpetrators persist that the girl raped is above 18 years of age especially when there is no birth certificate to prove her age; the police in their communities asks for facilitation to handle their cases which parents or the girl cannot afford; after the rape or defilement, the parents negotiate dowry with the perpetrators and this has made defilement and rape look an easy way to propose marriage; some parents consider all girls that have reached puberty to be ripe for marriage.

The girl representatives recommended that there is need for rescue homes for girls that have been abused to be rehabilitated, parents should be held accountable also especially on the education of their girls, more poverty alleviation programs should be extended to rural communities, and that government should fully facilitate the police and hold the perpetrators accountable for their actions.

In addition the girl representatives identified more challenges that the girls are facing especially during covid-19 to include; lack of access to education services such as home learning materials and recommended that government supplies home learning materials to them; lack of sanitary pads; poverty that’s the reason why parents see their girls as sources of income, peer pressure and lack of family support. However, they pledged to be the support for the many girls that have no voice.

“I promise to be a voice to the voiceless without fear. To be a big sister to young girls because I understand I would have made grave mistakes and decisions if someone didn’t offer themselves as a big sister to guide and listen to me.” Said Matovu Darren.

In addition, the summit articulated the principles, actions, coordination mechanisms and resources to end teenage pregnancies and child marriages. Ramsey noted that the government and civil society should disseminate guidelines on the elimination of teenage pregnancies, allow teenage mothers and pregnant teenagers to be able to resume school, increase funding to programs aimed at ending child marriages such as girls’ sponsorship, livelihood programs, strengthen the laws and policies and collaborate with different partners.

“All schools must admit their students who are mothers or are pregnant,” noted Ronald Kabunga, Ministry of Education and Sports.

The summit highlighted that much effort will be put on improving the policy and legal environment to protect children and promotion of girl child’s rights; improved access to sexual and reproductive health services, sensitizing people about the dangers of child marriage and teenage pregnancies, and coordination, monitoring and evaluation mechanisms for the implementation effective of the planned interventions.

According to Lydia Wasula from the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, the ministry is working to make the internet safe for the children. More on policy reforms; Dr Jessica Nsungwa Commissioner Ministry of Health emphasized that the ministry has policy reforms for adolescent friendly services and are training health workers to be able to care for the pregnant girls and teenage mothers. The ministry of education is also making effort to end the plight against girls. According to Ronald Kabunga, the ministry of Education and Sports has dealt more with providing psychological support to girls and has put in place message with SRHR in schools to empower girls with the right information.

The guest of honor the Vice President of Uganda Jessica Alupo was represented by Hon Dianah Nankunda Mutasingwa, State minister office of the Vice President. She thanked the organizers for the platform where girls’ voices are uplifted. 

“This is a great platform where girls’ voices will be uplifted, an opportunity for everyone to renew their commitment to protect the rights of the girl child in Uganda especially during this pandemic,” Said the Vice President.. She added that it is sad that in every year 12 million girls, 23 girls per minute and a girl every two seconds are married off worldwide. Despite the sad situation in Uganda, the Vice President was hopeful that with the right interventions, we can change the situation for the better.

“Special programs are in place to enhance the education of girls in Uganda,” she added.

At the summit, the plight faced by young girls with disabilities was also noted. Speaking on behalf of girls with disabilities, Ms. Betty Cheptoyek who has grown up with a disability since the age of 7 months, said that she had seen girls with disabilities face a lot of abuse and discrimination not only is schools but in the families they come from. She recommended that there is need to support girls with disabilities to realize their full potential. 

“We need to support girls with livelihood programs to help them live independently,” Ms Betty Cheptoyek said.

The National Girls’ Summit brings together Civil society, private sector and government to discuss to end the plight against young girls.

By Onesmus Kansiime