The Yumbe District in Uganda has initiated the Brave Girls 2026 campaign to address the rising cases of teenage pregnancy, early marriages, school dropout, and gender-based violence. According to statistics, Yumbe has the highest reported cases of teenage pregnancy, school dropout, and early marriages in the West Nile region. Only one in every ten girls who enrol in Primary One reaches Primary Seven. The campaign aims to provide a safe and empowering space for both in-school and out-of-school girls, including young people with disabilities.
The Brave Girls 2026 campaign was launched under the theme “Amplifying Girls’ Voices, Advancing Girls’ Power and Potential.” The campaign will focus on building girls’ confidence and enabling them to speak out about issues affecting their lives. It will also provide sexual and reproductive health information to girls and young people through schools, communities, community barazas, and outreach activities. The campaign will officially roll out this month with support from Reach A Hand Africa under the PROTECT SRHR Project, the Aringa Kingdom, Yumbe District Local Government Community Services Department, and other development partners.
Hajjat Medina Naham Ojale, the Director of Finance and Administration at the NRM Secretariat and a role model for the campaign, has called on parents to have children they can adequately provide for, educate, and care for until they reach maturity. Drawing from her own experience growing up in a polygamous family, Hajjat Medina challenged girls to live purposeful lives, know their rights, believe in their potential, overcome barriers, and pursue their aspirations. She emphasized the importance of families nurturing children into independent and responsible adults capable of making informed decisions about their future.
Hajjat Medina Naham Ojale also stressed that empowering children to become self-reliant and responsible would ultimately make them a resource for the country. She believes that if parents can nurture children into independent, responsible, and capable individuals, it can reduce vices such as teenage pregnancies, early marriages, and gender-based violence, which are destroying the young generation. Her sentiments echo the concerns of many stakeholders who are working to address these challenges in Yumbe and West Nile.
Fadhil Lemeriga, the Prime Minister of Aringa Kingdom, has expressed the Kingdom's full support for the Brave Girls 2026 campaign, particularly in addressing teenage pregnancy and school dropout, which remain major challenges in the area. Lemeriga also called on the central government to support young people in the Kingdom through short-term skills training programs that can equip them with practical skills and keep them productively engaged.
Local authorities and stakeholders involved in efforts to combat gender-based violence, teenage pregnancy, and early marriages in Yumbe and West Nile have called for increased government funding to the most affected and disadvantaged communities. They believe that additional resources would enable communities to strengthen advocacy, protect girls’ rights, and address the social and economic factors contributing to the challenges.
The Brave Girls 2026 campaign is expected to make a positive impact in Yumbe District and beyond. Key stakeholders are working together to ensure the campaign's success, and with the support of development partners, the campaign is poised to bring about change. The campaign's focus on empowering girls and providing them with the necessary information and skills will help to address the challenges facing them.
Key points
- The Brave Girls 2026 campaign aims to provide a safe and empowering space for girls in Yumbe District.
- The campaign will focus on building girls’ confidence and enabling them to speak out about issues affecting their lives.
- Stakeholders are calling for increased government funding to support communities in addressing teenage pregnancy, early marriages, and gender-based violence.
