Kyabazinga William Nadiope Gabula IV has called for stronger collaboration with international bodies to intensify the fight against teenage pregnancy, warning that the growing crisis continues to undermine the wellbeing and future of young girls in Busoga.
“We want to establish kingdom-driven enterprises that improve standards of living while passing on messages against teenage pregnancies. When we skill and empower men and young women, we reduce idle time, increase productivity, and ultimately lower poverty levels in the sub-region,” Kyabazinga said.
He emphasized that although most interventions focus on girls and women, Busoga is intentionally putting men and boys at the centre of its transformation agenda, positioning them as key champions in the fight against teenage pregnancy and related vices.
“Early teenage pregnancy has become a big challenge and poverty. 70 percent of our Kingdom’s population is youth; these are the future and leaders of tomorrow. It is our collective responsibility to ensure they are morally upright, responsible, and productive citizens,” Kyabazinga said.
The Kingdom’s flagship programme, the Men Are the Pillars campaign, mobilizes men as heads of households to champion positive masculinity, protect girls from early pregnancies, prevent gender-based violence, and support families to join the money economy.
Ms Lisa Hedin, SIDA’s Multilateral Partner Coordinator, commended Kyabazinga for accepting to serve as a UN champion for engaging men and boys to end teenage pregnancies and HIV, describing the campaign as a best practice rooted in strong cultural structures.
Ms Kristine Blokhus, the new United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Country Representative, said the initiative had significantly improved community acceptance of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), particularly in hard-to-reach communities.
According to the 2022 Uganda Demographic and Health Survey, Busoga, 28.4 percent of girls aged 15 to 19 had become mothers, while 5.8 percent were currently pregnant. These figures exceed the national adolescent motherhood average of 23.5 percent, placing the sub-region among the worst-affected in the country.
The delegation also toured the Kyabazinga Initiative’s skilling centre, headed by the Kyabazinga Affairs Minister, Ms Yudaya Babirye. The centre offers free training in hairdressing, ICT, and liquid soap making, specifically targeting teenage mothers and fathers seeking to rebuild their lives and gain practical skills for self-reliance.
Mr Fred Wakibi, the Youth Minister of Butembe Chiefdom, appealed to partner agencies working with Busoga Kingdom to consider expanding the skilling centres to other chiefdoms, explaining that many teenage mothers cannot afford transport to access the training facility in Jinja City.