Delay Marriage Promote Schooling for Ugandan Girls

On the 30^th of November 2022, Joy for Children –Uganda organized the National Girl Summit t intensifying policy and legal advocacy to protect girls from child marriage and amplify the urgency for adopting girls’ /children’s rights at community and national level.

Joy for Children intentionally gears towards empowerment of both girls and boys with correct information to enable them recognize child marriage and early pregnancy as a gross violation of their rights, and support them to take mitigating actions. Child marriage is one of the significant drivers of adolescent pregnancy in Uganda. 8.9 million Girls aged 10–19 are at risk of harmful practices, including child marriage. This represents nearly 27% of the country’s total population of 35 million; and in a country with the world’s lowest median age of 15 years. A whopping 34% and 7% of girls in Uganda are married before their 18th and 15th birthdays respectively; while 6% of boys are married before their 18th birthday. Child brides are also at major risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including HIV. The risk of maternal death is about 28% higher for mothers aged 15 to 19 than that of mothers aged 20 to 24 (UNFPA, 2020). COVID-19 pandemic led to closure of schools for 2 years which sparked child marriage cases, UNESCO 2021 projections showed that school closure increased the risk of child marriage by 25 per cent per annum.

The event was graced by the presence of the Vice President of Uganda, her Excellency Rtd. Hon.Jessica Alupo who re assured governments commitment towards ending child marriage.

“Child marriage is one of the most known forms of sexual and gender-based violence amongst girls. No child is physically or emotionally ready to become a wife, a husband or a parent”. VP Alupo.

“Uganda ranks as one the countries with higher rates of child and forced marriage. Available statistics indicated that 10% of girls are married off before the age of 15 and 40% of girls are married off before their 18th birthday which constitutes to 50% of young girls indulged into such”. VP Alupo added.

Speaking at the summit, Moses Ntenga who doubles as the National Coordinator of Girls Not Brides Uganda and Executive Director of  Joy for Children Uganda stated that about 24% of already married women did it before the age of 18 and about 15% were married at 18, as well there are some cases where boys get married at a tender age.

“We think that this summit should continuously create a platform for stakeholders reflect on issues of child marriage and teenage pregnancy but also commit to address the vice”. Said Mr. Ntenga

The summit aimed at amplifying voices of children and duty bearers in advocating for an end to child marriage and teenage pregnancy, increased learning and knowledge management in tackling the vice and enhanced partnership of stakeholders