Representatives from Reach A Hand Uganda pose for a picture with Reverend Betty.
In response to the alarming rise in HIV/AIDS infections and teenage pregnancies in Kasese District, Reach A Hand Uganda (RAHU) and Save the Children Uganda have organized the 9th Intergenerational and Religious Dialogues. The week-long event aims to promote gender equality and improve Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), under the theme “Elevating Girls’ Voice, Empower a Nation.”
The dialogues are focused on bridging the gap between young people, cultural and religious leaders, and older generations to address critical SRHR challenges that often affect the youth. At the Girls Festival, held at Ngaiga Primary School in Maliba Town Council, Reverend Betty, Diocesan Mothers’ Union and Family Life Coordinator, emphasized the urgency of addressing the high rates of teenage pregnancies and early marriages. She noted, “43% of our girls are married by 18, and 1 in 4 girls between the ages of 15 and 19 are already mothers or pregnant. These numbers break my heart because each statistic is a child who was not given the chance to be just that – a child.”
According to the 2021 UNFPA fact sheet, the Tooro/Rwenzori region is among the top six regions in Uganda with the highest rates of teenage pregnancies. Kasese alone recorded 7,319 cases, with neighboring Kyenjojo reporting 4,341 cases.
During the dialogues, young people engage in meaningful conversations with political, religious, and community leaders, fostering understanding and building collaborative commitments to advance gender equality and improve SRHR for adolescents and youth. The RAISE project, spearheaded by RAHU in partnership with Save the Children, works to increase access to vital SRHR information through peer learning sessions held in schools across the region.
Benson Muhindo, Head of Programs at RAHU, highlighted the importance of these dialogues, stating, “These findings guide the Intergenerational Dialogues towards becoming a powerful advocacy and accountability space for young people, while ensuring representation from key stakeholders who influence policy, religion, culture, social norms, and practices on attaining better health outcomes for young people.”
Students perform a play to demonstrate SRHR issues.
The Girls Festival also included a panel discussion featuring various community leaders and advocates, including police officer Ayebazibwe Jove, young mother Biira Eunice, and Queen Kaija Daphne, a former Miss Tourism Rwenzori Region.
Save the Children’s Juliet Birungi reiterated the organization’s commitment to protecting children’s rights and improving SRHR, saying, “Save the Children is dedicated to a world where every child has the right to survive, receive quality education, and be protected from abuse. We safeguard young people from violence and abuse through peer educators and Village Health Teams.”
The dialogues will culminate in an Intergenerational Dialogue on September 21st at Rwenzori Square in Kasese, with Her Royal Highness, the Queen of the Rwenzururu Kingdom, as the Chief Guest. This platform will allow young people to directly engage with leaders and policymakers on pressing issues such as sexual health, gender equality, and the challenges faced by the youth.
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