Adolescent health activists root for strong legal, justice systems
Some of the existing legal laws are contradictory. For example, despite having a national policy on teenage pregnancy, several adolescents have been impregnated, and the perpetrators are never brought to book.
Rev. Nathan Mugalu with the adolescents during the pre dialogue at Imperial Royal Hotel on June 4, 2025. (Credit: Agnes Kyotalengerire)
By Agnes Kyotalengerire
Journalists @New Vision
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Adolescents face a number of challenges, but often, they are never protected by existing policies and laws.
Peer to Peer Uganda executive director, Moses Bwire, says some of the existing legal laws are contradictory. For example, despite having a national policy on teenage pregnancy, several adolescents have been impregnated, and the perpetrators are never brought to book.
Bwire adds that even when the cases are reported, there is no actual, timely hearing and judgment made. As such, a ruling for a defilement, rape or forced marriage case takes close to 15 years before it is made.
The executive director of Peer to Peer Uganda Moses Bwire addressing participants in the pre adolescent dialogue of the fourth national stakeholders dialogue on adolescent health. (Credit: Agnes Kyotalengerire)
To ensure effective adolescent health-friendly legal and justice systems, Peer to Peer Uganda, in collaboration with the justice and law sector, has convened the fourth national stakeholders' dialogue on Adolescent health.
The dialogue kicked off on June 5, 2025, with a pre-adolescent dialogue on Health at Imperial Royal Hotel in Kampala, with discussions about the importance of youth advocacy in adolescent health and rights, the challenges adolescents face today, the intersect between adolescent health and the Judicial and Justice system in Uganda: The role adolescents and youth advocates can play
The two-day dialogue under the theme: Strengthening legal and justice systems for adolescent health and well-being in Uganda,” has attracted several adolescents, chief and grade one magistrate, officials from the justice, gender and education ministries, as well as the Judiciary.
Bwire said they decided to bring on board the judicial system and the people who hear the cases in the courts of law in order to understand the urgency of some of these cases.
“If police are investigating the CID officers at the police stations, they should be fast, so that the evidence is presented before the court and the hearing happens, and a timely ruling is made,” he noted.
Outcomes
Bwire said one of the key outcomes from the dialogue includes coming up with a strong position paper that will be presented to parliament and government to show what is happening in communities.
The additional outcome is to have policies and guidelines amended.