Legal Aid Service Providers Network (LASPNET) and World Vision have launched a drive against teenage pregnancies.

As the world commemorates the 16 days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) that kicked off on November 25 and runs until December 10, this year’s theme is dubbed Orange the world: End Violence Against Women Now!

Osborne Agwii the World Vision program manager in Buikwe district said according to their research conducted in 2021, there has been an increase in teenage pregnancies during the lockdown.

Agwii said there has been an increment of teenage pregnancies by 631 cases.

"In 2020, Buikwe alone recorded 3294 cases of teenage pregnancies but there has been an increase of the cases by 631 more cases which brings them to 3925 cases. But these are just only the cases that we recorded from hospitals," he said.

Agwii said teenage pregnancy is one of the vices that has hit minors as the country grapples with COVID-19.

"Teenage pregnancy is a manifestation of sexual violence which has led to early marriages, school dropouts and child parents among others. This needs to be stopped," he said.

Agwii said they believe that the unacceptably high levels of GBV require collective efforts of all partners to fight it

Background

The activism days were started at the inaugural Women’s Global Leadership Institute in 1991 and continue to be coordinated each year by the Centre for Women’s Global Leadership.

This is used as an organising strategy by individuals and organisations around the world to call for the prevention and elimination of violence against women and girls.