Teen pregnancies and early marriages worry West Nile

HEALTH | GIRL CHILD

In many societies of Uganda, girls are seen as property and capital in terms of bride price compared to their boy counterpart, this means that less care is given to a girl child.

According to the United Nations, girls still face various challenges which impede on their potential to succeed, from abuse, physical and sexual violence, exploitation, child marriage, and other forms of discrimination and inequality.

It adds that many girls who drop out of school due to pregnancy never get a chance to return and complete their education, yet an educated girl is likely to increase her personal earning potential, reduce poverty and early marriage.

The health ministry indicated that many young girls die while giving birth because their bodies are not yet ready to handle child delivery stress, while others are suffering from fistula.

For instance in the districts of Nebbi and Arua in West Nile teen pregnancies and early marriages are attributed to insufficient parental guidance, culture, and less value given to education among other issues.

Sophie Tuachun, a community development officer of Nebbi sub-county in Nebbi district says that most affected areas are in the parish of Koki, Kalwang and Nebbi Sub-County where they have registered the highest number of teenage mothers.

She attributes this to poverty among the key drivers of child marriages because parents want money and bride price.

Richard Okumu, the LC1 chairperson Kochoryang sub-county in Nebbi district says that some parents fail to provide for their children including essentials such as sanitary pads.

"In my village, there are many cases of aggravated defilement including where fathers sexually abuse their children," he said.

He says many cases of the kind have been reported to the police.

"But such files disappear from Police custody, making it hard to prosecute the culprits," he says.

Geoffrey Afayo who is a community mobilizer with Mentoring and Empowerment Program for Young Women (MEMPROW) in Pagulu sub-county in Arua district blames this on weak laws.

He says the 48 hours are not enough for the Police officers to investigate offences.

"When the Police release the suspects on bond, they disappear, negotiate with parents or tamper with the evidence," he said.

Now MEMPROW has embarked on the capacity building of young women between 14 to 29 years in order to fight teen pregnancies.

The West Nile Police Spokesperson Josephine Angucia revealed that between January and June 2020 in Arua district alone126 defilement cases were reported. 56 were inquired, 24 put away and 46 taken to court.

Seventeen rape cases were reported, only seven were investigated six were prosecuted, while four were dropped.

She claimed that some parents prefer settling defilement cases out of court because they fear losing out on pride price once the defiler is jailed.

Grace Mercy Munduru, the MEMPROW programme manager Arua district says most of the child-mother victims are primary school drop outs from the age 0f 13 to 17 years.

She blames this to peer pressure coupled with ignorance and lack of sexual education which leads them into illegal sexual intercourses.

Munduru adds that a capacity building program for girls and young women on social survival skills have been initiated for out of school child mothers to navigate the unique challenges and pressures from the community.