Janet rallies women leaders against teenage pregnancies
Left to right: Gender, Labour and Social Development minister Betty Amongi, Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja, and State minister for Local Government Victoria Rusoke after attending the inauguration meeting for the Women Leaders’ Forum at Skyz Hotel in Naguru, Kampala, yesterday. Photo / Sylivia Katushabe.
What you need to know:
- In a statement read for her by the State minister for Primary Education, Dr Joyce Kaducu Moriku, yesterday, Ms Museveni said teenage girls were most affected by the Covid-19-induced lockdowns imposed by President Museveni.
By Sylivia Katushabe
The First Lady and minister of Education and Sports, Ms Janet Museveni, has called on women leaders to address teenage pregnancies ahead of international Women’s Day celebrations.
In a statement read for her by the State minister for Primary Education, Dr Joyce Kaducu Moriku, yesterday, Ms Museveni said teenage girls were most affected by the Covid-19-induced lockdowns imposed by President Museveni.
She said when schools were closed in March 2020 and in June last year, adolescent girls were abused hence registering more child marriages and teen pregnancies.
“If we are unable to save the young generation from falling victims of these vices, the country may not be able to achieve its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as well as its Vision 2040,” she said during the inauguration meeting of the Women Leaders’ Forum in Kampala.
Ms Museveni called for a concerted effort from all stakeholders to address the root cause of teenage pregnancies.
She attributed the increase in teenage pregnancies to a breakdown of family institutions and called for their restoration.
The Prime Minister, Ms Robinah Nabbanja, encouraged women leaders to use their positions to push women agenda.
“Women in leadership positions need to come up with a strategy on what we can do to uplift the lives of girls and women in Uganda,” Ms Nabbanja said.
While reacting to a statement made by the Uganda Women Parliamentary Association chairperson, Ms Sarah Opendi, in Parliament on Tuesday, who accused her of being absent from the House, Ms Nabbanja advised women leaders to defend the dignity of their colleagues.
Ms Nabbanja said she didn’t expect Ms Opendi to rebuke her in public.
The minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development, Ms Betty Amongi, said the purpose of the Women Leaders’ Forum is to design a strategy, analyse what they have achieved and generate ideas to champion gender equality.
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However, some of the women leaders at the meeting accused the government of failure to facilitate Women’s Day celebrations, leaving them with a burden of funding their district celebrations.
