The Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Anita Among, has made an impassioned plea to parents and cultural leaders to put an end to teenage pregnancies and child marriages, condemning the practice of viewing girls as commodities.
She made these remarks at the launch of the Parliamentary Forum to End Child Marriages and Teenage Pregnancies, where she was named patron.
Speaker Among shared a personal and emotional story of nearly falling victim to early marriage herself. “The issue of eliminating teenage pregnancies is a reality; I happened to be a victim of this particular practice,” she said. Recalling her own experience, she added,
“I was going to primary seven when I almost got forced into a marriage but took off from home, went and became a house girl, stayed in some other people’s homes, and managed to pay for my own education.”
She emphasized the crucial role of parents and cultural leaders in eradicating these harmful practices, urging them to take decisive action. “Parents and cultural leaders carry the magic wand to end the scourge of teenage pregnancies and early marriages,” she said. Among also called on girls to resist early marriages and fight for their futures.
Blaming poor parenting for the rise in teenage pregnancies and child marriages, Speaker Among offered her support to the forum in raising awareness and advocating for keeping girls in school. “One of the causes of early marriages and child pregnancy is an issue of parenting, but it also comes back to you, what do you want in life? The resilience to move on is very important,” she noted.
She expressed gratitude to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and development partners for their support in efforts to eradicate these practices. “It is time to take the fight to parents and cultural leaders, who should end practices that encourage the vice,” she asserted.
Hon. Ronald Olema Afidra, Member of Parliament for Lower Madi Constituency and Chairperson of the forum, echoed her sentiments. He stressed the importance of giving girls the opportunity to return to school and grow up without prematurely becoming mothers.
“Let us give them [the girls] the opportunity to go back to school where they can. The girls who get married early have limited education opportunities, they will also not be able to deliver well, which sadly contributes to maternal deaths in Uganda,” he said.
The Parliamentary Forum to End Child Marriages and Teenage Pregnancies aims to create widespread awareness and implement measures to protect and empower young girls, ensuring they have the opportunity to pursue their education and dreams.
“One of the causes of early marriages and child pregnancy is an issue of parenting, but it also comes back to you, what do you want in life? You can be taken through all that but the resilience to move on is very important,” She said
