The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The King of Tooro Kingdom, Oyo Nyimba Rukidi IV, has warned that Uganda’s future is lost due to teenage pregnancies.
Oyo, who was speaking at Reach a Hand Uganda –RAHU’s fifth Inter-Generational Dialogue –IGD on Tuesday at Serena Hotel, called for an end to teenage pregnancies in order to secure the country’s future.
King Oyo, said whenever a teenager or an adolescent falls victim to early pregnancy, Uganda loses a future doctor, lawyer, engineer and religious leader.
Oyo emphasized that it was time the government drafted and implemented policies that would among other things address factors that push young girls into becoming child mothers.
He attributed the rise in teenage pregnancies to lack of right information in regard to young people’s Sexuality Reproduction and Health Rights –SRHR.
Other drivers of teenage pregnancies according to Oyo include limited education, gender-based violence, harmful traditional practices and parenting challenges.
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO)’s recent study on Early and Unintended Pregnancies (EUP) in Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) region shows three to seven girls aged 15 to 19 years have given birth or have ever been pregnant.
UNESCO’s study shows Namibia leads countries with the highest cases of EUP with seven out of 10 girls aged 15 to 19 years having been pregnant.
Uganda Police Force- UPF crime records of last year 201 girls were defiled by people living with HIV in 2018, 115 were defiled by guardians, ninety-five pupils by their teachers, 90 secondary school students by teachers, 90 girls with disabilities were defiled and 84 girls by their biological parents.
UNESCO’s coordinator, Charles Draecabo, said there can never be progress when a child delivers at an early age.
He asked all leaders and parents to join hands in securing the future of young people by ensuring they stay in school.
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