It is not only adolescent Girls, who have been negatively impacted by the covid-19 pandemic but Women as well, the lack of information about menstrual hygiene management coupled with inadequate funds to purchase sanitary products.
On November 27th 2020, Girls Not Brides Uganda, Joy for Children Uganda in collaboration with World Vision, organized 3rd National Girl summit November 2020, under the theme “Securing Uganda`s future: enhancing collective Action to end child marriage in the face of covid 19”.
Around the world, marriage is often perceived as a way of ushering in love and happiness, but for young girls below the age of 18 years ,getting married is one of the most unpleasant things that can happen to them,34% of girls in Uganda are married off before the age of 18 and 4% are off before their 15th birthday.6% of boys are married off before the age of 18.(UNICEF 2017)
While data on Gender based violence and violence against women in humanitarian contexts is still limited, the 2016 Uganda Demographic and health survey revealed that up to 22% of women aged 15 to 49 in the country had experienced some form of sexual violence. The report also revealed that annually, 13% of women aged 15 to 49 report experiencing sexual violence.
Violence against Children includes all forms of violence against people under the age of 18 whether perpetrated by parents, relatives, peers, teachers, employers, caregivers or strangers. Violence can be in form of maltreatment, sexual violence, bullying, and psychological torture.
Play is a natural learning tool in the life of an infant or a young child, it increases the child`s ability to uncover their life and adventure .Games can also be a relief for recovery from psychological stress experienced by the child.
In September 2019, Girls not Brides Uganda launched a one year project dubbed “Accelerating progress to end child marriage” with an ultimate purpose of ending child marriage and achieving a world without child marriage.
Gender based violence entails exploitation of both men and women but predominantly women. According to the Uganda demographic health survey, (2011), Uganda has a high rate of reported Gender based violence.
Ann Kagere not real name is a 19 year old single mother of two. She was misled in to early sex encounters/ debut by what the myths she heard about sex from her young paternal aunt who relayed to her that ‘sex cures premenstrual pains.
Joy For Children Uganda as a prevention centre has continued to give the much needed support to survivors of Violence Against Children during the COVID19 pandemic.
