Activists demand for increased accessibility to contraceptives
Teenage mothers and religious leaders in a group discussion at Amudat town council offices recently. PHOTO BY JOSEPH KATO
KAMPALA. As the world looks forward to marking the International Day for the girl child slated for October 11, a consortium of seven civil society organizations is demanding for increased accessibility to all forms of contraception including emergency contraception, improved access to abortion for marginalized youth and unmarried women.
The CSOs among others Justice and Rights Associates (JURIA) have said increased accessibility to contraception and safe abortion would among others things improve reproductive health services.
Mr Dennis Owaraga, a rights advocate working JURIA, said the abortion law should be reformed to allow abortion in cases of rape and incest.
“There are many girls who have conceived through rape or they were persuaded because they are too young to decide on their own and they ended up conceiving. We need to use the law to help such victims,” Mr Owaraga said.
Justice and Rights Associates (JURIA) according to Mr Owaraga uses strategic litigation to advocate for legal reform for the enhanced protection of reproductive health and rights in three target districts. They also provide legal aid to women charged with procuring abortion, documents cases, trains judges, and provides support to the Office of District Public Prosecutor.
Other CSOs include Centre for Health, Human Rights and Development (CEHURD), Coalition for Health Promotion and Social Development (HEPS), Coalition for Health Promotion and Social Development (HEPS), Forum for Women in Democracy (FOWODE), Partners in Community Development (PICOT) and Uganda Health Marketing Group (UHMG).
Ms Patricia Munabi while speaking to media at the Women National Dialogue reflecting on what women have achieved in the 55 years of Uganda’s Independence on Friday, expressed dismay over the high rates of child marriages and teenage pregnancies in the districts of Amudat and Nakapiripirit.
“We are puzzled by the high rates of girl child dropout and we have embarked on working with on ground area leaders to have this problem solved. We ask the government to sensitise the communities in such areas on how they can reduce poverty than looking at their girls as a source of income,” Ms Munabi said.
Ministry of health’s director of health services (clinical and community), Anthony Mbonye, said girls should access contraceptive because teenage pregnancies are high at 25 percent.
During a recent community dialogue on ending child marriage and teenage pregnancies at Mourita Sub County in Nakapiripirit District, dozens of teenagers appeared with babies something that left the dialogue organizers puzzled.
Mr John Nangilo, Nakapiripirit District chairperson, said many girls are being defiled in his district but they find it difficult to intervene since the victims usually prefer negotiations.
He said the victims remember to involve police or leaders after the offender has backtracked on the promises.
“Defilement cases are the order of the day in this district. Parents marry off their girls even at 12 years. We have arrested some but majority of these cases don’t come to us. In cases where we have been thought about, it was because the defiler failed on his pledges,” he said.
Assistant Superintendent of Police, David Alio, Nakapiripiriti’ s officer in charge of child and family protection, said defilement cases have been promoted by crime preventers who poster as investigation officers and help culprits reach consensus with the victim’s parents.
“The crime preventers who could have helped us in fight crime have turned to be crime promoters. You get information about a defiled girl and when you tried to intervened you are told that police already solved the matter. They are tarnishing our image,” Mr Alio said.
Mr Alio said his office records 20 cases of defilement every year but more than 80 per cent of the cases are not reported because parents aim at getting wealth at the expense of their girls’ future.
CSOs are working to raise awareness through hard-hitting, multi-platform media campaigns and earned media campaigns; using the legal system to advance policy, including litigation where appropriate; identify and train champions in parliament to move abortion law reform; and 25 youth champions to effectively engage advocacy.
According to the Uganda Demographic and Health Survey 2016 (UDHS) conducted by the Uganda Bureau of Statistics between June 12 and December 18, 2016, it indicates a 1 per cent increase in teenage pregnancy from 24 per cent in 2011 to 25 per in 2016.
This year’s International Day for the girl child shall be hosted in Kyenjojo district and JURIA is among the leading event organizers.
