Our submission provides information in relation to the regional perspective on Child, early and forced marriage in the African continent, with a specific focus on the countries of Kenya, Mali, Sierra Leone, Tanzania and Uganda. Due to space constraints, we have only provided information in response to certain specific questions in the call for submissions.
According to Section 2 of the Children’s (Amended) Act of Uganda, child marriage is referred to as any union whether formal or informal involving any person below the age of 18years for the purpose of living as husband and wife.
The COVID-19 pandemic has persisted for almost a year and half and it’s negative impact has continued to affect vulnerable communities alike. As urban slum communities struggle with a shredded economy, loss of jobs and domestic violence among other challenges, lack of food remains one of the aggressive issues faced by underprivileged households in Kampala slums.
Over time, Uganda has experienced climate emergency and unfavorable environmental conditions in the Ruwenzori region with Kasese district being most hit by floods. Flash floods are caused by a combination of natural and man-made factors such as earth quakes, volcanic eruptions, deforestation, mining and ground water depletion.
A visit to one of the internally displaced camps in Kasese district, one is welcomed by smiling faces from innocent Children and teenagers mostly below 18 years of age. Hundreds of households were displaced by Floods after River Nyamwamba burst its banks in May 2020.
We must ensure that girls are part of the digital transformation. Otherwise, they will continue to be left behind as a result of the digital divide which is the social inequality on the internet. At the moment, millions of illiterate girls who never enrolled in schools or dropped out of schools
With funding from UNDP under the Spotlight initiative JFCU implemented a 09 months project that started in June 2020 to March 2020. JFCU worked to address violence against women and girls stemming from their mining related activities by using a social economic empowerment lens.
On October 13th 2021, Members of the 10th Parliament of Uganda on the Uganda Parliamentary Forum for Children paid a courtesy visit to Joy for Children-Uganda to renew the working partnership with the forum in regards to the protection of Children’ rights
Child marriage is a human rights violation; girls are at a higher risk compared to the boys. Girls who are married off at an early age are likely to drop out of school, become child mothers, endure complications from child birth, and often experience gender based violence.
On the International day of the Girl child, October 11th 2021, Joy for Children-Uganda recognizes the rights of girls and the challenges they face every day.
