Urban refugees launch surveillance teams to end child marriage, GBV

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The Somali and Sudanese urban refugee communities in Uganda have established community surveillance teams and youth safe spaces to effectively combat female genital mutilation (FGM), gender-based violence (GBV) and child marriage.

The newly formed surveillance teams include women, youth, elders, persons with disabilities, as well as religious and cultural leaders.

Their primary mission is to monitor their communities, identify potential threats, and report incidents related to GBV, FGM and child marriage practices that have long impacted their communities.

The initiative, launched in Nateete and Entebbe within Rubaga, Kampala for Somali communities, and in Mengo and Kawempe for Sudanese communities, is supported by the Kampala affairs ministry, implemented in partnership with ActionAid Uganda (AAIU) with support from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

Community leaders commended Uganda’s awareness campaigns and the enforcement of the Anti-FGM Act of 2010, which has significantly reduced these harmful practices.

“We used to see many FGM cases until 2024, when you came and sensitised our communities. Now people know the law and the health risks of FGM. Girls also know where to report if they feel threatened,” said Mohamed Abdiqani, chairman of the Somali community in Nateete, Rubaga division.

He noted that since the sensitisation efforts began last year, reported cases have decreased, but there is suspicion that the practices may still be happening in secret. “That’s why the surveillance teams are crucial, to help us uncover and report what’s really happening within the community,” he added.

Some of the Sudanese women refugees during the dialogue in Mengo. (Photo by Jeff Andrew Lule)

The secretary to the community, Faiso Abdiqani, noted that FGM used to be done secretly in homes and some clinics, especially in Kisenyi, but legal awareness and safe spaces have helped stop the practice.

“The community now knows it’s a crime. Even youth and elders support the change. We want to reduce these practices completely which might be happening covertly,” she added.

Youth empowerment and community engagement

Sam Ononge, an ActionAid project officer on FGM, said the programme targets urban refugee communities where FGM is still practiced, including people from Somalia, Sudan, Ethiopia, and Eritrea.

“We’re helping communities lead their own campaigns against child marriage and other abuses. Youth groups must take the lead in rejecting harmful traditions, but we are bringing everyone on board,” Ononge said.

Amira Timan, the chairperson of Women Refugees for Peace and Development in Entebbe, stressed the importance of the surveillance teams in educating and monitoring what is happening in the community.

“Child marriage has been common among our Somali community. Back home, it’s seen as normal, but here we’re learning that it’s GBV and must stop,” she said.

She stressed that Entebbe hosts about 500 Somali refugee households, yet most support programs are in Kampala. “That’s why this initiative is so important for us,” she added.

Speaking at one of the intergenerational dialogues in Kiwafu, Entebbe on July 11, 2025, Joel Wananzusi Mandu, a legal officer with the Ministry of Kampala Capital City and Metropolitan Affairs, emphasised Uganda’s strict anti-FGM laws.

“FGM is illegal here. Performing it can lead to 10 years in prison. Even aiding or attempting it can lead to five years, while aggravated defilement may result in life imprisonment. Anyone living in Uganda must obey its laws,” he warned.

He encouraged communities to report offenders so they can face justice. “FGM only brings pain. It has no benefits for our daughters,” Mandu said.

Survivor stories highlight urgency

Several women shared their painful experiences with FGM and child marriage. One Somali woman, now 22, said she was circumcised at nine and married off at 15. After suffering complications during childbirth, she divorced and now raises her two daughters alone. “I can’t go into another relationship,” she said.

She said the awareness campaigns have helped others avoid similar fates and urged continued sensitisation and support.

Salih Indris Adam, chairman of the Sudanese refugee community, said harmful myths have long kept FGM alive. “Some believed girls must be circumcised to be pure or marriageable. But now, even men see the truth, it only harms our daughters,” he said.

Emmanuella Iggale, a prominent Sudanese refugee, noted that FGM is a major driver of early marriage. “Girls are circumcised by 12 so they can be married off. We have to stop this cycle.”

She noted that through these new surveillance teams and community-led action, refugee communities are taking a stand to protect women and girls from violence, discrimination, and outdated cultural practices.