The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Luwero, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Rosemary Namayanja, the Deputy Secretary General of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Party, has called on parents to be vigilant during the ongoing holidays to address the alarming rates of teenage pregnancies. The Luwero District Health Report reveals that between July 2022 and January 2023, 9,184 girls under the age of 19 sought antenatal services due to pregnancy.
Shockingly, the report also highlights that 67 girls under the age of 15 were impregnated during this period. Similar situations have been reported in Nakaseke and Nakaseke, where girls are married off before the age of 15. Joyce Namigadde, the Senior Probation Officer for Luwero District, notes that perpetrators of these acts include relatives, Boda-boda riders, casual laborers, and friends, among others.
Namigadde further adds that the actual number of cases may be higher, as some incidents go unreported to the police when parents settle them privately for financial gain. Namayanja emphasizes that teenage pregnancies have devastating consequences for the affected girls, ruining their future prospects. Despite the government’s provision of free education up to the secondary level, many girls drop out due to pregnancies.
Namayanja urges parents to actively discourage this problem and remain vigilant to protect their children. She advises students to use their holidays for revision and assisting with household chores, diverting their attention from activities that may expose them to teenage pregnancies. Namayanja made these remarks during a meeting with over 200 students and parents sponsored through her foundation at Hotel Networth in Wobulenzi town.
The students are from Nakaseke and Luwero districts.
Prossy Nakyeba, a parent, suggests that engaging children in various activities at home can prevent their exposure to teenage pregnancies. However, Nakyeba highlights that some parents lack the time to supervise and engage with their children effectively.
Moses Ssenfuma, the LC 3 Chairperson of Kapeeka sub-county, reveals that in his area, parents have been advised to enroll girls in safe spaces to keep them occupied and reduce the risk of teenage pregnancies.
A report from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) indicates that teenage pregnancy rates in Uganda have remained stagnant at 25 percent for a decade. This rate is significantly higher than the country’s target of reducing it to at least 15 percent. Teenage pregnancies contribute to 20 percent of infant deaths and 28 percent of maternal deaths in the country, according to the report.
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