According to the Uganda Annual Health Sector Performance Report 2023/24, teenage pregnancy remains the leading killer of girls aged 15-19 years in Uganda, with Busoga Region bearing a disproportionate burden.
Covid-19 lockdowns worsened the situation where young girls no more than 13 years of age became pregnant, leading to increased school dropouts and loss of lives.
In light of that, Jinja District, in partnership with Good Neighbours, a Korean non-governmental organisation, has passed a set of by-laws aimed at tackling the rising cases of teenage pregnancy and child marriage. The new legal measures, passed under Sections 38 and 40 of the Local Government Act, CAP 243, mark a significant step in protecting children’s rights and safeguarding their education and wellbeing.
The by-laws were introduced in a motion by Ms Proscovia Mutibwa, Vice District Chairperson and Leader of Government Business, during a session chaired by Deputy District Speaker, Mr Moses Lwochaza.
They were passed before the Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, Mr Geoffrey Banga Nkurunziza, following recommendations from the District Executive Committee under Minute DEC/70/2025. The by-laws will initially be implemented in the following four town councils: Kakira, Buyengo, Kagoma (formerly Buwenge) and Busedde. The rollout in these areas is expected to serve as a model for broader district-wide adoption in the future.
The framework was developed through a participatory approach that brought together parents, community leaders, educators, religious leaders, and youth representatives. According to district officials, this inclusiveness was key to ensuring that prevention and accountability remain at the heart of the measures.
Teenage pregnancies
Among the key provisions are penalties for perpetrators of child marriage and underage pregnancies, mandatory reporting of suspected cases, and protections for girls who become mothers while still in school.
The by-laws stipulate that any school-going girl who becomes pregnant must be allowed to sit for her examinations and, after delivery, resume her studies. Anyone who denies her this right risks a fine of up to three currency points, imprisonment of up to two months, or both.
Child marriages
On this, the laws categorically prohibit parents, guardians, religious institutions, or cultural leaders from marrying off or presiding over the marriage of a child below 18 years.
Anyone found guilty of engaging in or facilitating such practices will be prosecuted under the Penal Code Act. The by-laws also address defilement cases, placing responsibility on parents, guardians, teachers, school committees, and local authorities to report all incidents to the police. Attempts to settle such cases outside court are now criminal offences.
Child welfare
Beyond marriage and defilement, the regulations cover wider child welfare concerns. They ban harmful child labour, regulate excessive domestic chores, restrict child loitering, enforce curfews, and prevent deliberate school dropout.
Parents who knowingly allow children to abandon school can face fines or jail time. Children who deliberately refuse schooling without justifiable cause will be taken in by police for not more than 12 hours and handed over to probation officers for counselling. Good Neighbours, which has been active in Jinja and the wider Busoga Sub-region, is supporting the enforcement of the laws through awareness campaigns and community outreach.
The NGO’s country office says it will continue working with local leaders to sensitise families and strengthen protection mechanisms for vulnerable children. Speaking after the passing of the laws, district officials emphasised that protecting children is a collective responsibility.
‘We must work together as parents, leaders, and communities to ensure that no child is forced into marriage or denied the chance to complete their education,’ Ms Mutibwa said.
The move has been hailed as a landmark step in the fight against early marriages and teenage pregnancies, issues that have long undermined education and exposed young girls to lifelong challenges.