Women leaders irked over violence against children
Vice President Jessica Alupo launches a campaign against child marriage, teenage pregnancies and child labour in Kamuli District on Sunday. Looking on is Ms Rebecca Kadaga (left), the First Deputy Prime Minister and Kamuli Woman Member of Parliament and other officials. PHOTO/VPU
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The leaders rallied together in renewed efforts against child labour, early marriages and teenage pregnancies.
Kamuli District leaders have raised the red flag over rampant cases of violence against children, which they say has greatly contributed to school dropout and poverty in Busoga Sub-region.
This was revealed during the launch of a campaign against child marriage, teenage pregnancies and child labour that was led by Kamuli Woman MP Rebecca Kadaga and Vice President Jessica Alupo on Sunday as the district celebrated belated International Women’s Day.
Speaking at the event, Ms Alupo revealed that the 2021 report by the government and development agencies indicated that in Uganda, one in four women give birth by the age of 19 and that teenage pregnancy has stagnated for the last 15 years at 25 percent, yet the target by 2020 was 15 percent.
She added: “The report also indicated that 250 children aged 15 years and below got pregnant monthly. These statistics could be worse with the after effects of Covid-19.”
The leaders rallied together in renewed efforts against child labour, early marriages and teenage pregnancies. They offered free health education, counselling and cancer screening.
Ms Alupo urged men to respect, guide and keep girls in school until they graduate.
“While domestic work is crucial in the development of children, any work that deprives or risks the livelihood of the young people and their rights is an abuse,” she noted.
The Vice President called for the protection of the boy child too, especially against child labour. She encouraged the locals to embrace and participate in the Parish Development Model, especially that Busoga is considered one of the poorest sub-regions.
Ms Alupo urged pregnant mothers to seek antenatal services from trained personnel in health facilities to reduce mother and child mortality rates.
Ms Kadaga called upon leaders, both technical and elected, to fight the different vices, citing Mayuge and Kamuli as the worst hit in the Busoga Sub-region.
“We worry that if our children continue dropping out of school, the country will not realise the digitisation programme, which is in line with the International Women’s Day and is a Ugandan goal,” Ms Kadaga said.
Like the leaders, the young girls also used the platform during the celebrations to declare war against immorality such as the vice of homosexuality.
The Vice President extended support to the activities of the Kamuli District Women Council with a pledge of Shs30m.
