August 2024

Joy For Children Uganda > Blog > 2024 > August
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Empowering Out-of-School Children through Safe Spaces as a Key Strategy in Preventing Violence against Children

JFCU with support from CRVPF established safe spaces for out of school adolescents to hold weekly discussions facilitated by peer mentors using the life skills manual to build their esteem, help them make better choices, protect themselves against violence, promote behavior change through addressing harmful social norms that perpetuate VAC and community actions and also be able to plan more confidently for their future.

Events

STAKEHOLDERS DIALOGUE ON LAYING STRATAGIES TO END CHILD MARRIAGE AND TEENAGE PREGNANCY IN LANGO SUB-REGION

Joy For Children Uganda (JFCU) with support from Girls First Fund convened a stakeholder dialogue at Pacific Hotel, in Lira district, focusing on laying strategies to end child marriage and teenage pregnancy in Lango sub-region. The dialogue brought together a diverse group of participants, including cultural leaders, Lira District officials, representatives from civil society organizations (CSOs), and religious leaders, all united in their commitment to tackling this pressing issue.

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CLIMATE CHANGE AND CHILD MARRIAGE

Uganda is a country that is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. The changing weather patterns are affecting agriculture, the main source of livelihood for many communities, leading to crop
failures and food shortages. This has forced families to resort to drastic measures to cope with the situation, including marrying off their young daughters in exchange for dowry payments.

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THE IMPACT OF INSUFFICIENT EDUCATION ON CHILD MARRIAGE AND TEENAGE PREGNANCY IN UGANDA

Education is an important tool in empowering girls and young women. When they stay in school they gain knowledge, skills and confidence which can help them make informed decision about their lives. However, in Uganda specifically in rural areas, many girls drop out of school early because of poverty, long distances to school, inadequate facilities and cultural beliefs that prioritize boys’ education over girls

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THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL AND CULTURAL NORMS ON UGANDA’S CHILD MARRIAGE AND TEENAGE PREGNANCY CRISIS

One of the main drivers of child marriage and teenage pregnancy in Uganda are the social, cultural norms and traditions as stated in the National Strategy to end child marriage and teenage pregnancies 2022/2023 – 2026/ 2027. It is a sad reality that in many communities a girl is seen as an economic asset and marrying her off early ensures that the family receives dowry which can be a source of income for most households.

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CHILD MARRIAGE IN UGANDA: LEGAL AND POLICY GAPS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

In Uganda, like other East- African countries, Child marriage is one of the significant drivers of
adolescent pregnancy. 8.9 million Girls aged 10–19 are at risk of harmful practices, including
child marriage, teenage pregnancy and FGM, this represent nearly 27% of the country’s total population of 43.7 million; and in a country with the world’s lowest median age of 15 years.

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PERIOD POVERTY AND CHILD MARRIAGE: THE HIDDEN STRUGGLES OF UGANDAN GIRLS

Period poverty exacerbates the vulnerability of girls to child marriage. When girls do not have access to menstrual products, they are often forced to stay home from school during their periods. This leads to gaps in their education and limits their opportunities for economic independence. Additionally, the lack of proper sanitation facilities can lead to health issues and infections, further increasing their dependence on others for care and support.