It’s amazing what local leaders can do in the campaign to end child marriages in Uganda! Joy For Children Uganda was blessed to engage local leaders from the sub counties of Hakibaale, Buheesi, Kibiito, Ruteete, Mugusu and the South Division of Fort Portal Munincipality.
Jennifer is a little girl in her primary one. She lives with her mother in one of the Kampala suburbs. Jennifer live with other 7 children in her home – four of these are orphans whose parents died during the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) war. Since the family moved from Northern Uganda, it has not been easy for them to afford food, education or medical care.
Sexual violence is a broad issue and has been defined differently by various groups. According to the survey report 2018 on VAC conducted by MGLSD, SVAC has been defined as including all forms of sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children. This encompasses a range of acts, including completed non-consensual sex acts, attempted non-consensual sex acts, and abusive sexual contact.
GBV continues to be problem in Uganda and it affects all people irrespective of their social, economic and political status. GBV happens in families, communities, workplaces and institutions.
For example, the Uganda Demographic and Health Survey (UDHS) 2011 indicate that 56% of women aged between 15 and 49 years in Uganda have experienced physical violence at some point in life, 28% of women in the same age group have experienced sexual violence, compared to 9% of men.
In the month of February 2019, children improved their spiritual life by learning about the life of Jesus. However, it was children who didn’t start school early and those who returned home at 1pm. On average, the project officer met between 17-30 children per day.
In Uganda, the biggest population is employed in Urban and Peri-urban communities. This also comprises of women majority living in Kampala slums as casual labourers in the informal sector mainly due to low education levels. Because the informal sector is not regulated by authorities, employees work under inhumane, unlawful, unprotected and exploitative working conditions.
The Global Fund For Human Rights
The COVID-19 pandemic and the associated movement and contact restrictions instituted to mitigate the spread of the virus have invariably created the conditions which have led to the escalation of violence against children, women and girls in most communities in Uganda.
Action to End Violence Against Children in Families, Schools and Communities in Kabarole District, is a three-year project. It’s main goal is to contribute to the reduction of violence against children in targeted families, schools and communities.
Uganda has one of the highest child marriage prevalence rates in the world at 40% (UNICEF 2016). Nearly one in every two girls is married before their 18th birthday.
Community knowledge, experiences and actions that happen organically are important in bringing to light the understanding and experience from knowledgeable community members including adolescent girls, on addressing female adolescent sexuality as it relates to ending child marriage.
