By Leonard Kamugisha Akida,
KAMPALA
Uganda continues to face critical SRHR challenges, including a 24% teenage pregnancy rate and a high incidence of maternal deaths due to unsafe abortions, child marriages, inadequate information on sexual reproductive health among young mothers.
Youth leaders criticize the government of failing to enforce the implementation of policies and laws on sexual reproductive health and maternal health in the country.
Beauty Queen Jimbo Shanura, Miss Y+2024, a youth representative, and SRH champion highlighted the struggles young people face despite the existence of policies like Agenda 2040, the National Development Plan IV, and various international commitments.
“We still grapple with teenage pregnancies, unsafe abortions, child marriages, and gender-based violence because we struggle to access the critical information and resources necessary for our health and well-being,” Jimbo said.
She questioned why SRHR policies remain largely theoretical, with little real impact on the ground, and challenged leaders to go beyond paper commitments.
“We need more than words. We urge you to champion the implementation of the Adolescent Health Policy and the School Health Policy because they have the potential to drive real change.”
Additionally , the youth representatives called for a multi-sectoral approach that empowers young people urging government agencies, civil society, and community leaders to collaborate in creating safe spaces for dialogue and access to SRHR services. Jimbo also emphasized the need for sustainable domestic health funding, cautioning against reliance on external policies that may not prioritize Uganda’s youth.
“Young people’s lifesaving SRHR services cannot just be dictated by external policies,” she argued.
Health expert, Dr. Chris Ebong, a Senior Medical Officer at the ministry of health raised concerns over the high cost of medical equipment and supplies which he says is a major barrier to quality SRHR services. He said that in some regions such as Busoga, have resorted to harmful traditional practices, particularly the use of herbal remedies for labor pains, which contribute to maternal deaths due to delays in seeking proper medical care. He called for continental engagement to dodge the costs while procuring these supplies.
Ebong pointed to rising STI cases among adolescents, with 19.5% of youth aged 10-19 infected.
“Females are disproportionately affected, accounting for 75% of adolescent STI cases,” he said.
He suggested for the recruitment of more medical officers in underserved local governments and called on traditional leaders to spearhead adolescent health discussions.
Responding to the youth demands, Hon. Moses Kabuusu, MP for Kyamuswa county Kalangala district, stressed that youth issues are dynamic and require evolving solutions.
“Issues to do with the young people are not static and everyday every young person has a different need,” said Hon. Kabuusu. “The government is doing all it can to address SRHR challenges, but young people must also be agents of change.”
Conversely, Kabuusu expressed concern over the resistance from religious and traditional leaders toward policies which seeks to address sexuality in schools.
“We face challenges whenever the government introduces policies on SRHR,” he said.
“Some stakeholders argue against teaching children about their bodies, yet the longer we delay discussions about SRHR and enabling our children to understand their bodies, the more parents will continue to cry,” Kabuusu warned. He urged schools to be safe spaces where children can learn about reproductive health, emphasizing that they spend more time at school than at home.
Speaking at a national leaders’ reflection and dialogue on young people’s SRHR and maternal health at Skyz Hotel, Naguru, Kampala, Joyce Abaliwano, the Busoga Kingdom Minister of Gender, Children and Women Affairs where many cases of teenage pregnancy, and child marriages have been previously reported expressed concern that teenage pregnancy is not always viewed as a crisis in the region.
“Some parents see teenage pregnancy not as a problem, but as an addition to their family,” she said, adding that many of these children end up as laborers in sugarcane plantations.
The minister emphasized the need for boy-child empowerment in SRHR discussions, “Take the fight from boardrooms to families. Girls do not live in a vacuum. We need a holistic approach that also empowers boys,” she said.
She outlined key kingdom interventions, including the “Stay in School, Go Back to School” campaign, royal scholarships, and skilling programs aimed at keeping girls in school. She also urged youth participation in leadership roles to increase their voice in decision-making.
“We are committed to reducing these worrying statistics,” she said.
Nevertheless, leaders and policymakers have been urged to take bold steps in amplifying youth voices and ensuring meaningful action on sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR) and maternal health.
David Talima, the Board Chairperson of SRHR Alliance Uganda, and Executive Director of Straight Talk Foundation Uganda called for renewed leadership and action to address the pressing challenges facing young people.
“These young women and men are full of potential and dreams. They deserve the opportunity to thrive,” he said. “We can hear their voices, but they are too low to make an impact. That is why we, as leaders, must amplify them in the different spaces we influence.”
Talima urged leaders to go beyond participation and actively champion change in SRHR and maternal health policies.
