Poverty and hunger drive child marriage and labour in Karamoja, new study finds

A new study has revealed that poverty and hunger are the primary drivers of child marriage and child labour in the Karamoja region.

The report was revealed on October 20 during the launch of the Hotspot Program on preventing child marriage and other forms of child exploitation in Karamoja at the American Centre in Kampala.

The report, titled "Growing up in Karamoja, Uganda: Understanding Child Marriage and Child Labour," was conducted by The Freedom Fund in conjunction with the AfriChild Centre in the districts of Moroto and Napak.

According to the findings, caregivers and children alike described child marriage as a survival strategy, with poverty, recurrent drought, crop failure and livestock loss referred to as the trigger points at which families were left with no options but to marry off daughters or send children to work.

State Minister for Youth and Children Affairs Dr. Mercy Faith Lakisa (seated second from left) alongside other delegates during the launch of the Hotspot programme

Other key results included child marriage remaining widely normalized for girls, with help-seeking remaining limited as the practice was embraced. In addition, six out of every ten children were engaged in child labour.

Dr. Mercy Faith Lakisa, the State Minister for Youth and Children Affairs, emphasized the need for children in Karamoja to be supported to ensure that they do not fall victim to the early marriage vice.

"Poverty and climate hardships must never make a child's safety, education or future seem negotiable. Every girl and boy in Karamoja deserves the opportunity to grow, learn and shape their future free from coercion and exploitation," she said.

She highlighted the need to prioritize education and cultural mindset change as critical, with some traditional beliefs discouraging families from educating girls, viewing it as a waste of resources.

She implored district leaderships to strengthen child protection units, with sustainable interventions required to tackle the root causes of violence against children.

In a bid to fight poverty, she called on youth to embrace government programmes like the Youth Livelihood Programme and the Parish Development Model to ensure that they can start up projects to make them earn money.

Clare Ahabwe Bangirana, the Director of Research and Knowledge Development at the AfriChild Centre, said that free education alone is not enough to prevent child marriage, with the government and stakeholders needing to combine access to education with school feeding programmes, climate-resilient agriculture and social protection to address hunger and household poverty.

She pointed out the critical role of youth empowerment in preventing child marriage.

"Expanding vocational training, apprenticeships and direct support for youth enterprises can provide young people with safer livelihoods and meaningful economic opportunities."

Jael Aremo Kimberly, the reigning Miss Afrikana Uganda, asserted that education is a right that every girl should receive, with early marriages tarnishing their hopes for a bright future.

"We must stand together to end child marriage and protect the rights of every girl. Her future is hers to choose."

The Hotspot programme will run for three years, supporting eight partner organizations and being implemented in Napak and Moroto, with scaling up expected in Amudat district.