Government officials, youth advocates and development partners have called for stronger involvement of cultural and religious leaders in addressing teenage pregnancy and child marriage in Uganda, arguing that community-driven solutions are key to reversing stagnant trends.
The call was made during a webinar organised by Reach A Hand Africa in partnership with the Ministry of Health Uganda, Ministry of Gender Labour and Social Development and the Ministry of Education and Sports Uganda, alongside civil society organisations.
Challa Elma Kapel, the Northern Uganda youth MP, said teenage pregnancy remains a persistent challenge, particularly in the Karamoja sub-region.
She noted that teenage pregnancy stands at 24 per cent, while child marriage is at 34 per cent—figures she said have remained unchanged for more than a decade.
“These figures have not changed in over ten years,” Kapel said.
Lucy Otto, assistant commissioner for family affairs at the Gender ministry, emphasised the importance of engaging cultural leaders, citing their influence in shaping social norms and community behaviour.
“We engage cultural leaders to identify the factors contributing to these challenges because they play a key role in communities,” Otto said.
She noted that cultural leaders command respect within communities and can help reshape attitudes across generations.
Kondwani Mhone, a child development officer from Malawi, urged cultural leaders to create platforms where young people can openly discuss their challenges.
“There is a need for cultural leaders to come up with initiatives that allow young people to come together to discuss their problems,” he said.
Meanwhile, Joyce Nakato, team leader of the Uganda Youth and Adolescent Health Forum and co-chair of Girls Not Brides Uganda, identified stigma as a major barrier to progress.
She urged stakeholders to involve survivors in designing interventions.
“Survivors’ experiences are vital in shaping effective responses,” Nakato said.
Participants emphasised that tackling teenage pregnancy requires more than policy interventions, calling for deeper engagement at community level to address cultural practices, social norms and economic drivers that sustain the problem.
They noted that without a shift in community attitudes, progress in reducing teenage pregnancy and child marriage is likely to remain slow.
