The rate at which informal urban settlements (slums) are developing in Low and Middle Income. Countries (LMICs) like Uganda are high. With this, comes the growing intersection between urbanization and the reproductive health of key populations. Currently, a number of interventions are being implemented to improve the Sexual Reproductive Health (SRHR) of adolescents in Uganda.
To address these issues, the SRHR Alliance Uganda hosted its first ever “National High-Level leadership dialogue on Adolescent Health”.
The dialogue was held last week at Golden Tulip in Kampala under the Theme: Renewed Multi-Leadership Towards the Realisation of Adolescents’ and Young People’s SRHR.
The Aim of the dialogue is to gather leaders’ efforts towards better #SRHR for young people, harness their commitments, and collectively plan on how to address SRHR challenges faced by young people in the country not only in Kampala.
- Advertisement -
Different National leaders including members of parliament, Religious leaders, Culture leaders, local government leaders, UNESCO, UAC, and respective from parliament forums on youth parts of the country were in attendance.
Panel discussions were also held to address issues facing young people in Uganda.
According to Meno Charles, the National Coordinator at SRHR Alliance Uganda said “We need to realize the power of collective efforts through the multi-sectoral approach. All people, despite what they do, should put young people at the forefront.”
Speaking at the National High-Level leadership dialogue, Hon. Charles Ayume a Ugandan Medical doctor and a member of parliament representing Koboko Municipality gave his key remarks at the event saying that SRHR is not receiving enough attention, it needs to be prioritized like HIV, malaria, and Covid-19 among others.
“ It is very hard for a girl who has been raped to get Justice in Uganda, the Justice system has failed us, so many sex offenders are free roaming the streets, who will protect our girls? ” As leaders and policymakers we need to establish legal and social-economic functions where the young can experience the best services in SRHR without any discrimination,” he added.
“These young people are diverse and have different, evolving, and unique needs. As leaders it’s our role to ensure that we create an enabling policy, legal and socio-culture environment where every young person in the diverse (those living with HIV, persons with disabilities) can freely have equal access to high-quality sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights information and services in a violent free environment, said Hon. Charles Ayume.
According to Hon. Rose Obiga a Woman MP for Terego District said urged parents to take time and sit with their children and talk to them. She also added saying that they should not leave everything to society.
“It’s quite sad that many parents have left their role of taking care of their children and disciplining their children to society and she calls upon them to go back to the drawing board and do as required of them”, said Hon. Rose Obiga Woman MP for Terego District.
