CHILD, EARLY AND FORCED MARRIAGE IN UGANDA

Submitted by: Joy for Children Uganda P.O. Box 15383, Clock Tower, Kampala Uganda Email: [email protected] Website: www.joyforchildren.org

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Child marriage is a global problem affecting Back ground millions of girls across the world. It is considered a human rights violation because The term “early marriage” is used to refer to it deprives those involved of education and both formal marriages and informal unions health services, the chance to learn skills and in which a girl lives with a partner as if develop their personalities and leaves them married before age of 18 (UNICEF 2005; vulnerable. It is an appalling violation of Forum on Marriage and the rights of women human rights and robs girls of their and girls 2001). For UNFPA (2006) early education, health and long-term prospects,” marriage, also known as Child marriage, is says Babatunde Osotimehin, M.D, defined as “any marriage carried out below Executive Director, UNFPA. Despite the the age of 18 years, before the girl is physical damage and the persistent physically, physiologically, and discrimination to young girls, little progress psychologically ready to shoulder the has been made toward ending the practice of responsibilities of marriage and child marriage. This is commonly caused by childbearing.” Child marriage, on the other increasing levels of poverty, low levels of hand, involves either one or both spouses education backed by cultural and traditional being children and may take place with or beliefs of securing the lives of girls in without formal registration, and under civil, marriage. In fact, the problem threatens to religious or customary laws. increase with the expanding youth It also refers to any marriage of a child population in developing world. younger than 18 years old, in accordance to Article 1 of the convention of the right of The report puts together findings and the child. recommendations from different research about child, early and forced marriage in Forced marriage is the marriage conducted Uganda to guide and encourage policy without the valid consent of one or both makers, programme designers and parties and is a marriage in which duress- implementers the processes of mitigating the whether physical or emotional- is a factor. vice. Any child marriage constitutes a forced marriage, in recognition that even if a child INTRODUCTION appears to give their consent, any one below the age of 18 is not able to make a fully According to Demographic and Health informed choice whether or not to marry. Surveys (DHS), which provide much of the Child marriages must be viewed within a current country-level child marriage data, context of force and coercion, involving child marriage is most common in the pressure and emotional blackmail and world’s poorest countries. The highest rates children that lack the choice or capacity to are in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia as give their full consent. Most early marriages well as parts of Latin America and the are arranged and based on the consent of Caribbean (ICRW 2006; NRC/IOM 2005). parents and often fail to ensure the best Uganda is one of the countries with the interests of the girl child. Early marriages highest early and forced marriage. 10% of often include some elements of force, (Otoo girls are married off before the age of 15 and Oyortey and Pobi 2003). One in seven girls 40% of girls re married off before their 18th in the developing world marries before 15 birth day (UNICEF 2011). Around 46 per (Population Council 2006). Nearly half of cent of all women are married by the age of the 331 million girls in developing countries 18, according to UNICEF 2011 figures are expected to marry by their 20th birthday. despite the law setting 18 as the legal age of At this rate, 100 million more girls—or marriage. 25,000 more girls every day—will become child brides in the next decade (Bruce and A report submitted by a journalist Mutegeki Clark 2004). Between 2011 and 2020, more Goffrey in March 2012, in Kabarole district, than 140 million girls will become child 20 primary pupils have been married off in a brides, according to United Nations period of three months. These include three Population Fund (UNFPA). If current levels pupils from Kibyo Primary School, five of child marriages hold, 14.2 million girls from Mahyoro Primary School in Karangura annually or 39 000 daily will marry too Sub County, five from Kibaata Primary young. Furthermore, of the 140 million girls School Bunyangabu Sub County and seven who will marry before they are 18, 50 from Kateebwa SDA primary school in million will be under the age of 15. Kateebw Sub County. The research indicates that, their parents aided the process in

The prevalence of child, early and forced exchange of goats and some other material marriage in Uganda items. A survey carried out by Joy for Children early and forced marriage is a violation of Uganda in the mountainous sub counties of human rights. Child marriage denies girls Kabarole- Karangura, Kabonero, and their rights to health, education, to live in Kateebwa inhabited mainly by Bakonjo in security and to choose when and whom they July –October 2013; it was found out that marry. child marriage is the leading cause of girls dropping out of school. At Nyarukamba There are numerous detrimental Primary school in Karangura Sub County, consequences associated with early marriage the school drop out rate of girls for marriage which involve physical, developmental, was at 15% in 2009 and 10% in 2012. The psychological and social implications. young girls are married off in exchange of . goats ranging from 1-5. Physical consequences

Biira Annet (not real name) 14 did not sit When a child bride is married she is likely to for her Primary Leaving Examination be forced into sexual activity with her 2013 at Nyarukamba Primary school in husband, and at an age where the bride is not Karangura Sub County. Her parents physically and sexually mature this has negotiated for her marriage without her severe health consequences. consent in exchange of 2 goats in a nearby Child brides are likely to become pregnant community. The Head Teacher reported at an early age and there is a strong the case to police but the parents insisted correlation between the age of a mother and that their daughter went to visit her maternal mortality. Girls ages l0-14 are five relatives in another district. times more likely to die in pregnancy or childbirth than women aged 20-24 and girls The impact of child marriage on the aged 15-19 are twice as likely to die. Young human rights of women and girls in mothers face higher risks during pregnancies Uganda. including complications such as heavy bleeding, fistula, infection, anemia and Universal Declaration of Human Rights eclampsia which contribute to higher (1948) Article 16.2: Marriage shall be mortality rates of both mother and child. At entered into only with the free and full a young age a girl has not developed fully consent of the intending spouses. Therefore and her body may strain under the effort of child birth, which can result in obstructed increases a girl's vulnerability to HIV/AIDS. labour and obstetric fistula. Obstetric fistula It exacerbates the abilities of girls and can also be caused by the early sexual women to make and negotiate sexual relations associated with child marriage, decisions, including whether or not to which take place sometimes even before engage in sexual activity, issues relating to menarche. the use of contraception and condoms for

Good prenatal care reduces the risk of protecting against HIV infection, and also childbirth complications, but in many their ability to demand fidelity from their instances, due to the limited autonomy or husbands. freedom of movement, young wives are not Developmental consequences able to negotiate access to health care. They Child Marriage also has considerable may be unable to access health services implications for the social development of because of distance, fear, expense or the child brides, in terms of low levels of need for permission from a spouse or in- education, poor health and lack of agency laws. These barriers aggravate the risks of and personal autonomy. The Forum on maternal complications and mortality for Marriage and the Rights of Women and pregnant adolescents. Girls explains that 'where these elements are Child brides may also suffer vulnerability to linked with gender inequities and biases for HIV/AIDS. Being young and female in the majority of young girls, their Africa is a major risk factor for infection and socialization which grooms them to be young girls are being infected at a mothers and submissive wives, limits their considerably disproportional rate to that of development to only reproductive roles. boys. Whilst early marriages are sometimes Whilst girls in Africa are already less likely seen by parents as a mechanism for to go to attend school than boys, particularly protecting their daughters from HIV/AIDS, in poorer households, the non-education of future husbands may already be infected the girl child is a problem compounded by from previous sexual encounters; a risk child marriage, with studies showing a which is particularly acute for girls with strong correlation between a woman's age at older husbands. The age disparity between a marriage and the level of education she child bride and her husband, in addition to achieves. Large numbers of the girls who her low economic autonomy, further drop out of school do so because of early psychological as well as physical marriage, leaving many women who married consequences. Studies indicate that women early illiterate. Early marriage plans can also who marry at young ages are more likely to discourage a girl's parents from educating believe that it is sometimes acceptable for a their daughter because they believe that a husband to beat his wife, and are therefore formal education will only benefit her future more likely to experience domestic violence family in law. themselves. Violent behavior can take the

A lack of education also means that young form of physical harm, psychological brides often lack knowledge about sexual attacks, threatening behavior and forced relations, their bodies and reproduction, sexual acts including rape. Abuse is exacerbated by the cultural silence sometimes perpetrated by the husband's surrounding these subjects. This denies the family as well as the husband himself, and girl the ability to make informed decisions girls that enter families as a bride often about sexual relations, planning a family, become domestic slaves for the in-laws. and her health, yet another example of their Early marriage has also been linked to wife lives in which they have no control. abandonment and increased levels of

The cyclical nature of early marriage results divorce or separation and child brides also in a likely low level of education and life face the risk of being widowed by their skills, increased vulnerability to abuse and husbands who are often considerably older. poor health, and therefore acute poverty. In these instances the wife is likely to suffer additional discrimination as in many Psychological and social consequences cultures divorced, abandoned or widowed It is a huge responsibility for a young girl to women suffer a loss of status, and may be become a wife and mother and because girls ostracized by society and denied property are not adequately prepared for these roles rights. this heavy burden has a serious impact on their psychological welfare, their perceptions of themselves and also their Maternal Health relationship. Studies show a strong association between

Women who marry early are more likely to child marriage and early childbirth, partly suffer abuse and violence, with inevitable because girls are pressured to prove their fertility soon after marrying and they have 24 (FCI and the Safe Motherhood Inter- little access to information on reproductive Agency Group 1998; CDC 2002). health or ability to influence decision making on family planning (Mathur, Greene Girls who have babies also have a high risk and Malhotra 2003; Blesdoe and Cohen of suffering from obstetric fistula, a 1993; Mensch, Bruce and Greene 1998; condition in which the vagina, bladder Malhotra et al. 2003). and/or rectum tear during childbirth and, if left untreated, cause lifelong leakage of

One third of women in developing countries urine and feces (UNFPA and Engender give birth before 20; as much as 55 percent Health 2003). Two million women suffer of women give birth before 20 (Save the from obstetric fistula worldwide, and an Children 2004). additional 50,000 to 100,000 new cases Women who bear children at a young age develop annually among girls (Murray and may face serious health consequences. Lopez 1998). Young mothers experience higher rates of maternal mortality and higher risk of Child marriage also exposes young married obstructed labor and pregnancy-induced girls to a greater risk of HIV infection. hypertension because their bodies are Married girls may be more vulnerable to unprepared for childbirth (Save the Children HIV infection because they have little option 2004; Mathur, Greene and Malhotra 2003). to change their sexual behavior even with Girls between 10 and 14 are five times more knowledge about HIV (Clark 2004). Child likely than women ages 20 to 24 to die in brides also have less access to quality health pregnancy and childbirth (UNFPA and the care services and information compared to University of Aberdeen 2004). Girls ages 15 girls who marry when they are older to 19 are twice as likely as older women to (Mathur, Greene and Malhotra 2003; die from childbirth and pregnancy, making Mensch, Bruce and Green 1998; Singh and pregnancy the leading cause of death in poor Samara 1996). countries for this age group (Save the Children 2004). ratio is 178 for every Infant Health 100,000 live births of women ages 15 to 19, The children of teen mothers experience compared to only 32 for women ages 20 to serious health consequences as well. A child born to a teen mother is twice as likely to die advantage of education or work before the age of 1 as the child of a woman opportunities (Mathur, Greene and Malhotra in her 20s. Currently, 1 million infants of 2003). Early childbearing and motherhood, young mothers die every year worldwide as which usually accompanies early marriage, a result of pregnancy and childbirth-related also is associated with lower levels of causes. If they survive, these infants tend to education and higher rates of poverty (Singh have higher rates of low birth weight, and Samara 1996; Mensch, Bruce and premature birth and infant mortality than Greene 1998). Opportunities for young those born to older mothers (Save the mothers to continue their education or to Children 2004). After birth, infants of teen work often are limited because they have mothers are more likely than infants born to little access to resources, and are responsible older mothers to have poorer health care and for childbearing and household tasks (Save inadequate nutrition as a result of their the Children 2004). Thus, early young mothers’ poor feeding behavior (Save childbearing, as well as early marriage tends the Children 2004; Kurz 1997). to preclude further education and reinforce poverty. Education and Economic Status I did not sit for my Primary Leaving Examination in 2009. My parents arranged Child marriage is associated with lower my marriage without my consent with a education and economic status of girls. stranger. I gave birth to my first born when Child brides are less able than older or I was 15. I have two children with my unmarried girls to access schooling and husband who is a peasant with little income-generating opportunities or to income to support the family since all of us benefit from education or economic have no better paying jobs. I wanted to go development programs. Girls already in back to school after giving birth but I had school are often forced to terminate their no one to leave my child with. Narrates education when they marry early (Save the Yuniya Kamaliya who was a pupil at Kasisi Children 2004). Limited mobility, household Primary school Rutete Sub County responsibilities, pregnancy and raising Kabarole district. children, and other social restrictions for Domestic Violence and Decision Making married girls prevent them from taking Girls who are married young often lack The government and civil society status and power within their marriages and organizations and Non-government households, and so are more likely to organizations are conducting awareness experience domestic violence, sexual abuse, rising on issues of early and forced child and isolation from family and community marriages through local radio stations across (UNICEF 2005; Jenson and Thornton 2003). the country since majority of rural Younger married girls reported experiencing communities use the radio as the main sexual violence three times more often media source. This is usually done in the (ICRW 2005). Girls who marry young are local dialect where everyone easily also more likely to believe violence is understands the disseminated information justified (UNICEF 2005; Jenson and and also contributes towards the debate. Joy Thornton 2003). A study found that 36 for Children Uganda in partnership with percent of girls who married before 18 Raising voices conducts such talk shows on believe that men are justified in beating their local radio stations in Kabarole district. wives, compared to 20 percent of those who married at a later age (UNICEF 2005). The civil society organizations, Non- Lower status in the home also leaves government organizations and the married girls with less ability to influence government run programmes in schools decisions about their own lives (ICRW aimed at reducing and eliminating the vice. 2005; UNICEF 2005). Women who married as children are more likely to have partners Joy for Children Uganda run “Good who have the final say on household school” programme in schools of the decisions, including their visits to family or Rwenzori region. The schools are mobilized friends, their health, their ability to work, to start child rights clubs aimed at large and small household purchases, and sensitizing their fellow children, teachers, contraception (UNICEF 2005). parents and the community about violation of children rights with child marriage taking a centre stage as the major cause for school What is being done to end child marriage drop out especially among girls in the in Uganda? region. It has also implementing Girls Not Brides learning out comes to increase and improve Empower Project that works to keep girls their life chances. to remain in school, sensitize the community on danger of child marriages and economically empowers vulnerable families Agape of Hope Female Youth to prevent children. The project is being Development Association a local Non- piloted in Karangura sub county Kabarole Government Organization operating in district. Kasese district is working to improve the lives of the young women by empowering Kaana Foundation a local Non- them with non-formal skills and educates government Organization based in the them about their reproductive health and Rwenzori region runs a “girl child accessing rights. school” programme in the Rwenzori region. This program is all inclusive as the Several other civil society organizations and community is mobilized, teachers are Non-Government Organizations in Uganda motivated, and the school administration is commemorate special days for children encouraged to make routine monitoring of especially girls – Day of African Child the girls that enroll in their schools until (DAC) commemorated every 16th June of completion. The school children are also every year, International Day of the Girl involved in the activities of the program. Child commemorated every 11th October of This is strategically done because people every year with educative and advocacy assume that education priority should be for themes. Mass sensitization activities about boys. violence against children and in particular child marriage are organized. Raising voices in partnership with local Non-Government Organizations is piloting a In western Uganda 2013, Save the children project “Girls Education Challenge” in four Uganda mobilized other Non-Government districts of Uganda- Kabarole, Kampala, Organizations operating in the Rwenzori Luwero and Lira. The project is aimed at region such as World Vision to enabling marginalized girls access school, commemorate the Day of African Child with stay in school and complete to attain quality a theme “Eliminating harmful social and cultural practices affecting children, our hygiene, sexuality, maturation, and collective responsibility”. The function was HIV/AIDS. H held in Bundibugyo district where the practice is reported to be high. Other local The government recently allowed schools to Non-Government Organizations and CBOs use part of the Universal Primary Education organize the same functions in their funds to support GEM. respective operational areas with the aim of rising awareness about the dangers of child The Ministry of Education and Sports in marriage and other violence against children partnership with other NGOs launched a related cases. campaign dubbed “Go back to school” stay in school, and complete” in schools around UNICEF introduced Girls Education the country in 2007. This is aimed at Movement (GEM) spearheaded by the supporting school drop out children Ministry of Education and Sports in 2001 in especially girls to go back to school, stay in all the primary schools in Uganda. school and complete the primary cycle. Girl’s Education Movement (GEM) is a Activities included advocacy, community child-centered, girl-led global movement of mobilization and sensitization of stake children and young people whose goal is to holders, introduction of bylaws making bring about positive social transformation by primary education compulsory by making empowering girls through education. The parents send their children to school, programme focuses on the national priority promoting sports and games in schools of improved water and sanitation coverage among others. in schools and girls’ school enrollment and reduced dropout rates. As a result of GEM Also raising awareness on human rights is in action, schools are increasingly providing being done along side child support special facilities for girls such as, separate programmes in schools and communities. latrines, bathrooms and sanitary materials for use especially during menstruation At national level the Girls Not Brides periods, and are cleaner and safer with Uganda (GNBU) alliance has been formed availability of water and soap to wash hands, to campaign against child, early and forced and there are more open discussions of marriage. This is done through partnering and networking with other Non-government 18 years, the age when “they have attained organizations with similar agenda to run full maturity and capacity to act”. programmes that aim at eliminating the Consent to Marriage, Minimum Age for practice. Therefore, there is need to widen Marriage and Registration of Marriages, the scope and interventions of Girls Not 1964 Article 2, States Parties to the present Brides network to be able to reach out to the Convention shall specify a minimum age for needy communities through research, marriage ("not less than 15 years" according coordination, and advocacy activities in to the nonbinding recommendation districts with the highest prevalence of the accompanying this Convention). No vice. marriage shall be legally entered into by any person under this age, except where a Legal framework competent authority has granted a dispensation as to age, for serious reasons, According to 1995 Constitution of Uganda in the interests of the intending spouses. article 31. (1) Men and women of the age of African Charter on the Rights and eighteen years and above, have the right to Welfare of the Child, 1990 Article XXI, marry and to found a family and are entitled Child marriage and the betrothal of girls and to equal rights in marriage, during marriage boys shall be prohibited and effective action, and at its dissolution. including legislation, shall be taken to specify the minimum age of marriage to be According to the Convention on the eighteen years. Convention on the Elimination of All Challenges for effective implementation Forms of Discrimination against Women of the policies and programmes. (CEDAW), the most comprehensive international bill of rights for women, states It is a common phenomenon in Uganda that, that any betrothal or marriage of a child the policies, bylaws and programmes made should not have any legal status. The by local governments remains on paper. Committee that monitors this convention Most local government structures and some states further in General Recommendation Non-government organizations facilitate 21 (Article 16(2)) that the minimum age for workshops and retreats for policy making marriage for both male and female should be and do not facilitate the implementation processes. Policies and bylaws remain not rights of women and Girls 2001; Mathur known to the local communities and this 2003 and Nour 2006). escalates the problem. For instance, most local people do not know the laws in the Parents encourage the marriage of their constitution of Uganda because it was not daughters while they are still children in translated in their local languages for those hope that the marriage will benefit them who can read. both financially and socially, while also relieving financial burdens on the family. Economic survival strategies:

The high levels of poverty in Uganda have Additionally, poor families tend to marry off contributed to the persistent vice of child girls at the same time to help reduce the marriage. According to the United Nation’s burden of high marriage ceremony expenses. Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA),

Uganda currently has 34.5 million people, Traditional beliefs: about 23.1 million are prone to poverty, and about 8.4 million of them (about 24.5%) are The marriage to a much older – sometimes trapped in absolute poverty. even elderly – man is a practice common in Further studies indicate that, about 67% of some societies. In traditional societies in Ugandans are either poor or highly Uganda, a man is given another wife (a vulnerable to poverty, the expenditure sister to the first wife) from the same family review for Uganda 2012 by the Directorate if the first one is dead or disabled. In the of Social Protection in the gender ministry case of a girl in Rwebisengo Sub county has revealed. 67% represented both Ntoroko district is one of many cases of girls Ugandans who spend below the poverty line who are married off at a very young age due of $ 1.20 (about sh3, 170) per day and those to traditions. In 2011, a thirteen-year-old who are below twice the poverty line, $2.40 girl’s secondary education was terminated (about sh6, 340) per day. and married off to a 40-year-old man in

Where poverty is cute, a young girl may be order for the family to maintain traditional regarded as an economic burden where one ties. The previous wife of the man had died less daughter is one less mouth to feed of AIDS! This was in arrangement with the (UNICEF 2001, Forum on marriage and the local leaders and girl’s parents. In other traditional societies – where infant Value of virginity and protection of young mortality was very high and survival girls depended on a family’s ability to produce its Early marriage is one way to ensure that a own food or goods for sale – child marriage wife is protected, or placed firmly under helped to maximize the number of male control; that she is submissive to her pregnancies and ensure enough surviving husband and works hard for her in-laws’ children to meet household labour needs household; that the children she bears are (Mathur 2003). legitimate, (UNICEF 2001; Mathur, 2003 and Nour 2006). On the other hand, for Socio-cultural and religious values many societies that prize virginity before marriage, early marriage can manifest itself In communities where child marriage is in a number of practices designed to prevalent, there is strong social pressure on ‘protect’ a girl from unsanctioned sexual families to conform. Failure to conform can activity. In the eastern and north eastern often result in ridicule, disapproval or family parts of Uganda, control may also include shame. Invariably, local perceptions on the the practice of female genital mutilation ideal age for marriage, the desire for (FGM) to restrict sexual pleasure and submissive wives, extended family patterns temptation. Some parents withdraw their and other customary requirements, are all girls from school as soon as they begin to enshrined in local customs or religious menstruate; fearing that exposure to male norms. In many contexts child marriage is pupils or teachers puts them at risk. legitimized by patriarchy, and related family These practices are all intended to shield the structures, which ensure that marriage girl from male sexual attention, but in the transfers a father’s role over his girl child to eyes of concerned parents, marriage is seen her future spouse. The marriage or betrothal to offer the ultimate protection measure. of children in some parts of Uganda is In Wars and civil conflicts parents or careers valued as a means of consolidating powerful resort to child marriage as a protective relations between families, for sealing deals mechanism or survival strategy. Displaced over land or other property, or even for populations living in refugee camps may settling disputes (UNIFPA, 2006). feel unable to protect their daughters from rape, and so marriage to a warlord or other 1999; NRC/IOM 2005). Education also is authority figure may provide improved believed to increase girls’ aspirations and protection. For the young girls orphans or extend the process of finding a suitable separated with their parents or relatives the marriage partner (Lloyd and Mensch 1999). only way to survive and to get protection is to get married, (De Smedt 1998). More studies have shown the important role that education must play in efforts to The most effective strategy for eliminate child marriage. Research by overcoming child marriage UNICEF shows that the more education a Studies strongly show that higher levels of girl receives, the less likely she is to be schooling for girls decrease their risk of married as a child. Improving access to child marriage (NRC/IOM 2005; UNICEF education and eliminating gender gaps in 2005). Girls with eight or more years of education are therefore important strategies education are less likely to marry young for ending the practice of child marriage. than girls with zero to three years of school (NRC/IOM 2005). Recommendations

Education is widely credited as the most  As child marriage is common among significant factor for delaying girls’ age at illiterates and marginalized groups, marriage (Mathur, Greene and Malhotra community networks and vigilant 2003; United Nations Commission on groups comprising all concerned Population and Development 2002). Over stake holders can be formed and the last several decades, parents have come mobilized to intervene in to value education for their children, and to programmes to end child marriage. be willing to postpone the marriages of their daughters so they can attain a higher  Empower the youth to manage their education level (Schuler et al. sexual and reproductive issues 2006). It is thought that education enhances through different approaches i.e. girls’ autonomy, giving them negotiation peer-to-peer approach, skills in choosing a partner and influencing comprehensive sexuality education the timing of marriage (Lloyd and Mensch in schools, life skills based revamp and enforce them for the education, youth information centers. protection of children from all forms of abuse and exploitation.

 Child marriage is a worst form of Gender-based violence, programmes  There is also need to strengthen such as “go back to school” focusing networking, operationalisation, on enrolling and retaining girls in systematic documentation, referral schools until they complete and mechanism and follow up on the attain quality learning outcomes cases of abuse, improved should be maintained among coordination among key actors and communities. advocates for protection of children.  Ending child marriage requires  The government and other consolidated efforts of all organizations should put emphasis organizations and stake holders on supporting schools with scholastic including government, civil society materials; carry out refresher organizations, Non-government trainings for teachers and other organizations, Faith Based progrmmes that create conducive organizations and Community Based learning environment for the organizations. Therefore, networks, retention of girls in schools. coordination and collaboration of all different stake holders and  Government should implement a organizations from community to comprehensive national school national level should be feeding programme to improve strengthened. primary school enrolment and regular attendance and reduce

 There is urgency need to roll out the dropout rates. policies, bylaws, programmes and strengthen the linkage between the  Mothers are said to be more lower local governments at the supportive to their daughters village level to district level to compared to fathers. The government should support women

enterprise development programmes,  Addressing the root causes of child by establishing of a targeted fund for marriage, including poverty, gender women to address credit access inequality and discrimination, the constraints so that they can support low value placed on girls and education of their daughters. violence against girls.

 Increase support for Universal REFERENCES Primary and Secondary Education to provide equal access to quality 1. 1995 constitution of Uganda

primary and secondary education for 2. Voices of Child Brides and both girls and boys. Mothers in Tanzania: A PEER Report on Child

 mobilizing girls, boys, parents and Marriage leaders to change practices that 3. UNICEF 2005; Forum on discriminate against girls and to Marriage and the rights of create social, economic, and civic women and girls 2001 opportunities for girls and young women 4. Plan (2011) Because I am a Girl: The State of the Worlds  providing girls who are already Girls 2011. married with options for schooling, employment and livelihood skills, 5. Mathur, Greene and Malhotra sexual and reproductive health 2003; United Nations information and services (including Commission on Population HIV prevention), and offering and Development 2002 recourse from violence in the home;