The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Entebbe, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Activists and local leaders in Entebbe Municipality have launched a campaign against sexual harassment.
The campaign, Tonkosa, which means ‘Don’t hurt me’, aims at helping under-aged girls to fight against sexual harassment.
In 2020, the Ministry of Education registered more than 100,000 cases of teenage pregnancies which were attributed to the closure of schools following the outbreak of covid-19.
The Wakiso Woman MP Ethel Naluyima, who launched the campaign on Thursday, says the campaign is more comprehensive because it involves local leaders, teachers, and parents among others.
According to Naluyima, the campaign will be rolled out nationwide, starting with districts that registered high cases of teenage pregnancies. Some of the districts that have recorded more than 1,000 cases of teenage pregnancies include Wakiso, Zombo, Kitgum, Luweero and Kyegegwa among others.
Eliot Nakanjako, the Executive Director of the Women and Girls Development Association, says there is a need to conduct door to door campaign against rape and sexual harassment. She says that through the campaign, they hopes to get solutions about how best to handle victims and perpetrators.
Ssali Disan, the LCIII Councilor representing Bulega-Mbiru Cell in Katabi Town Council says parents must be vigilant about the dress code of their children, especially the teenage girls because they will fall prey to men in the community.
But Lorna Nakabuye, the Executive Director of Young Women Coalition, disagrees with Sali, saying no one has the right to harass somebody based on their dress code.
Christine Namugerwa, the youth councilor at Katabi Town Council says the number of teenage pregnancies could be much higher than what has been recorded because most cases remain unreported.
She says they have recorded 19 teenage girls, who are currently pregnant in Kisubi parish and 24 girls in Kitala parish.
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