KAMPALA – The Minister for Gender, Labour and Social Development, Betty Amongi has called for stronger engagement of cultural and religious leaders in the campaign against child marriages and teenage pregnancies.
The Minister noted that the vices of child marriages and teenage pregnancies were being exacerbated under the guise of promoting cultural practices and norms in the different regions of the country.
“We should look at prioritising sensitisation through engaging cultural and religious leaders riding on the back of their influence to support the campaign to end early marriages,” said Amongi.
The Minster was on Wednesday meeting with the Ambassador of Denmark to Uganda, Her Excellence Signe Winding Albjerg – who had paid her a courtesy.
The Ambassador revealed that the Danish Embassy was in the process of developing the next Country Strategic Framework under – which various activities would be incorporated in follow up to the Women, Adolescents and Youth -WAY Programme.
Amongi commended the Embassy for its support already extended to the Sauti 116 toll-free helpline through which the public can report incidences of Violence against Children -VAC as well as Gender Based Violence -GBV. She urged the Embassy to focus more support towards the helpline as it has been well received by the public given the high number of calls received on a daily basis. She said the effectiveness of the call centre would also add impetus to the fight against violence against children and gender based violence.
She also underscored the importance of women economic empowerment in the fight to end GBV, child marriages and pregnancies.
“Poverty aggravates vulnerability. It’s therefore critical to have interventions in economic empowerment as most families opt for negotiated settlements out of GBV and violence against children cases for the economic gain,” observed Amongi.
Ambassador Signe promised that the next Country Strategic Framework would have a gender lens to ensure that the key aspects speak to each such as creating awareness on Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights as well as linkages to service providers.
The meeting was attended by the assistant Commissioner Gender and Women Affairs, Maggie Kyomukama as well as the Senior Programme Advisor- Governance at the Embassy, Charles Magala.
