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Flavia Kabahenda, the Woman MP for Kyegegwa District, called on the government to develop policies that integrate teenage mothers back into school
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By Our Reporter
The government has unveiled plans to invest in programs aimed at encouraging men to adopt a positive mindset toward women and abandon negative masculinities that endanger the well-being of women in Uganda. This initiative will be implemented over the next five years, from 2026 to 2030.
The revelation was made by the Minister of Gender, Betty Amongi, while presenting a statement before Parliament ahead of the commemoration of International Women’s Day, which is scheduled to take place on March 8, 2025, in Kyankwanzi District.
Flavia Kabahenda, the Woman MP for Kyegegwa District, called on the government to develop policies that integrate teenage mothers back into school. She expressed concern over the rising cases of teenage pregnancies and child marriages, which escalated during the COVID-19 pandemic and have continued to persist.
“With the right action and intentional support, we shall make appropriate progress. The number of child-parents we are registering every day, even after COVID-19, is alarming. If we are to take meaningful action, we need legislation that adopts a child rights approach to reintegration assistance, allowing child-parents to return to school. The more we delay implementing policies and legislation for reintegration, the more we risk losing these young parents, including boys, to societal neglect,” said Kabahenda.
Stella Atyang, the Woman MP for Moroto District, condemned the practice by some police officers who allegedly demand facilitation from parents of children who are victims of rape and other forms of sexual violence. She pointed out that many of these victims come from impoverished backgrounds and cannot afford such costs.
“There are increasing cases of child marriages and defilement. Despite these children knowing the referral pathways, when they report cases of rape and defilement to the police, officers often ask for facilitation, such as fuel, to track the perpetrators. Unfortunately, these are children from poor families who cannot afford such expenses. As a result, victims are only kept in safe custody for a short time, and when they cannot be accommodated any longer, they are sent back to the community, where perpetrators take advantage of their vulnerability,” noted Atyang.
The government’s new initiative to promote positive masculinity is expected to address some of these challenges by fostering respect and equality between men and women, reducing gender-based violence, and ensuring a safer society for all.
Torch Media Africa
