Delay Marriage Promote Schooling for Ugandan Girls

According to UNFPA (2021), a total of 345,736 teenage pregnancies were registered in 2020 and a total of 290,219 between January and September 2021, implying an average of over 32,000 teenage pregnancies recorded per month thus amounting to 800 teenage pregnancies per week. The breakout of COVID 19 resulted into continuous lockdowns which led to prolonged closure of schools hence the rise in teenage pregnancies which has become an alarming situation in Uganda.

Closure of schools left many girls vulnerable to teenage pregnancy, early child marriage and violence. Idleness of boys and girls, confined in the same environment, led them into involvement in bad behaviors which sometimes resulted into unwanted pregnancies. Covid 19 also increased poverty rate and some families in order to lessen their financial burdens were forced to marry off their daughters in exchange.

Future generations have been denied of great opportunities that are right ahead of them. In different communities, young girls are facing social discrimination, and often do not get the support they need to compete their studies, get a job and resettle in the society. Social isolation and poverty therefore make them vulnerable to risky behaviors hence laying a financial burden on the society.

On the 3^rd December, 2021, senior women leaders in Uganda launched a campaign which was dubbed ‘Protect the Girl, Save the Nation’ to champion against teenage pregnancy and child marriage.

“The fact that teenage pregnancies and defilement cases have risen in the lockdown has exposed the cracks and weaknesses in parenthood in our homes and families. This must change.” Rt. Hon. Nabbanja, the prime minister.

Joy for Children is dedicated to ending child marriage and reducing the number of children especially girls getting married before the age of 18 and therefore, we paid a visit to one of the districts that recently recorded the highest cases of teenage pregnancies. In Kyenjojo district, we met Anita (not real name), a young girl who was pregnant.

“It was one day when my mother sent me for a pack of salt at around 7pm. On my way, behind me, I saw a man who was putting on a cap walking fast towards me. I was scared because I was in an isolated place and couldn’t see any other person around. I increased speed but the next time I tried to look behind again, he was already grabbing me and with a knife, he threatened to kill me if I screamed. He forced me into the nearby bush and raped me and said he would find me and kill me if I told anyone what happened.”

Anita said she was afraid and didn’t report this to her parents but after a few months, they noticed she was pregnant and her chances of going back to school are limited.

Joy for Children provided psycho social support to Anita’s family and also helped her mother to start up a small business. Anita’s mother is so happy for the help she received from Joy for Children and says that this business will continuously help her to raise money to pay her daughter’s school fees.

The government of Uganda has put up a number of policies that should in theory, be useful to prevent and reduce adolescent pregnancies including; setting the minimum age of sexual consent at 18 years, the defilement law against having sex with a girl under 18 years, universal and secondary primary education that offers free basic and secondary education to children, and the National Adolescent Policy. These policies, however, do not seem to have much effect due to lack of knowledge about the policies by the general public.

Recommendations:

• Providing sex education before young people become sexually active, with open attitudes and a positive approach to sexual health and relationships.
• Strengthening secondary preventive efforts education, employment and support aimed at helping the girl child in self-sustainment and reducing the rate at which they are dependent on men.
• Increasing school-based sex education and community-based education, development and contraceptive services.
• Increasing focus on youth development programs and family outreach.

Uganda recorded a total of 290,219 teenage pregnancies from January to September 2021, translating to over 32,000 monthly (UNFPA UGANDA 2021) and this been highly attributed to the covid-19 induced lockdown where learners were out of school for close to 2 years. Many girls were sexually abused by their relatives, neighbors, teachers and their peers and in some communities; pregnancy was seen as a way out of poverty.

 On 10^th January 2022, Government of Uganda officially reopened schools for all learners and the right of pregnant and breastfeeding girls to continue with their education evoked emotionally charged discussions across the country in the last few weeks, the discussions are often on issues of morality.

Religious leaders argue that pregnancy out of wedlock is morally wrong, that other children at school will perceive it as being okay which contradicts with religious teachings about sex before marriage but all girls have a right to education irrespective of their race, color, physical ability, motherhood status or pregnancy.

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4 is clear, to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning for all including elimination of gender disparities, all girls and boys to have equal opportunity, to enjoy education of high quality and enjoy equal benefits from education. Adolescent girls and young women who may be subject to gender based violence; child marriage and early pregnancy require special attention.

Discriminating girls because they are pregnant or breastfeeding is wrong, it is a violation of girls’ rights to education and it is mostly caused by many factors including lack of awareness about re-entry policies in the country and among head teachers that girls can resume school. Even when some girls get lucky to return to school, they are often affected by stigma from their peers and the community, financial constraints and lack of psycho-social support.

State Minister for higher Education, John Chrysostom Muyingo, said it is a government directive that all children should go back to school whether pregnant or breastfeeding but what is not yet clear is how schools are going to implement the directive, while at school for instance whether to provide breast feeding rooms for breastfeeding girls or not.

At Joy for Children-Uganda we advocate for children’s rights including the right to free and quality education for all, We have partnered with Ministry of Gender, Labor and Social Development Ministry of education and Sports, Parliament of Uganda on several interventions on upholding the rights and safety of the girls including developing the National Strategy to End Child Marriage in Uganda, running a campaign to accelerate progress to end child marriage in Uganda at the height of covid19 pandemic, Enhancing coordination and Learning to end child marriage and teenage pregnancy, supporting the MPs to table a motion in parliament that would  among others provide for pregnant / breastfeeding girls to continue their education.  From experience we believe regular and effective coordination and capacity enhancement enable actors or partners to further learn with one another and enhance their advocacy efforts.

On1st February, Uganda Women Parliamentary Association (UWOPA) organized a joint press conference with members of the civil society to address issues of escalating cases of teenage pregnancy and the right of pregnant and breast feeding  teen mothers return to school. The call was on government to keep its promise of ensuring girls return to school and is safe while there. Mr. Moses Ntenga Executive Director at Joy for Children-Uganda said “Awareness should first be created in communities and encourage people including relatives to raise alarm once they suspect anything fishy happening in their societies

Recommendations to schools and government on re-entry of pregnant and breastfeeding young mothers

•  Government should provide school –based counseling services for pregnant and breastfeeding mothers. This is because some of the girls are faced with stigma and they need psychosocial support so that they feel safe at school.
• Renew the National Strategy to end child marriage and teenage pregnancy, which reflects the commitment of the government of Uganda to end child marriage and other forms of violence against girls including teenage pregnancy.
•  Ensure access to sexual and reproductive health services including comprehensive sexuality education in schools and communities.
• Adopt the national school health policy to ensure that learners feel safe and protected while at school.
• Introduce flexible school programs for breastfeeding girls for insistence part-time classes.
• Sensitize parents, children, teachers and communities about the consequences of early pregnancies including physical and psychological harm, stressing the importance of girls continuing with education.
• Formation of school clubs and programs that target girls at risk of dropping out and put measures for counseling, distribution of scholastic materials and menstrual hygiene kits in schools.