Rakai launches campaign against teenage pregnancies
Oct 24, 2014
Rakai district has partnered with local charities to end child marriages. This follows reports of an increase in the rate of school dropout among girls.According to the Abubeker Lutaya, the Rakai district schools’ inspector, child marriages have contributed to girl child school dropout
By Andrew Masinde
Rakai district has partnered with local charities to end child marriages. This follows reports of an increase in the rate of school dropout among girls.
According to the Abubeker Lutaya, the Rakai district schools’ inspector, child marriages have contributed to girl child school dropout in the district.
He said the most affected are pupils between primary five and seven.
Lutaya identified the most affected areas as; Lwamagwa, Kakyera, Kyalulangira and Kiziza sub counties.
“Out of 900 pupils registered for PLE in Rakai this year, 400 will not sit for exams. 260 of these are girls. When we did a survey, we discovered that majority were married off by their parents, with many of them already pregnant. This is worrying because it has deteriorated our enrolment,” Lutaya explained.
Lutaya revealed that whenever they attempt to stop teenage marriages, some of the parents involved conceal their children’s ages in a bid to hoodwink government officials into believing that their children are of marriage age.
Others parents, Lataya said alert the men who married their underage daughters to evade arrest.
“We are sometimes frustrated by the law enforcers because when we report the cases, they do not care, sometimes they side with the parents,” he explained.
trueRakai Resident District Commissioner, Charles Mubiru (C), other officials flagging off the campaign against child marriage. PHOTO/ Andrew Masinde
The Rakai resident district commissioner, Charles Mubiru said, “I have declared war on parents marrying off their underage daughters. You (parents) are failing the government, and in the end you will say it is doing nothing. As the President’s representative in this district, I will force you (parents) to do what is right,” Lutaya added.
NGO such as World Vision, Child Aid Uganda, Uganda African Network for the Prevention and Protection against Child Abuse and Neglect (ANPPCAN) were represented at a function held at Rakai district headquarters.
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