Religious leaders in Kamuli District have teamed up to preach the gospel of ending child marriage as both religiously and traditionally unacceptable, describing it as a sin and an abomination.
Under their umbrella, the Inter-Religious Council of Uganda, and spearheaded by Somero and 100 Million, the faith-based approach launched the Reject Child Marriage Nawantumbi Chapter on Sunday, vowing to use every available space and structure to save the girl child from abuse, predators, and early marriage.
The initiative also seeks to help girls stay in school and secure their future.
The Busoga North Police Region Annual Crime Report 2023/24 revealed that 831 girls were defiled, 133 suffered aggravated defilement, while 270 children were neglected, deserted, or trafficked.
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Juma Nkume, the imam of Nawantumbi mosque and youth leader, said teenage pregnancies and child marriage, often rooted in poverty and cultural practices, remain a painful crisis.
He urged leaders and communities to show empathy rather than condemnation.
"We should take on empathy not condemnation, help these girls avoid exploitation, stop blaming but listen, understand and walk along with these girls in order to rescue them from the harsh community," Nkume said.
Florence Kaduuli, Mothers Union lead counselor and catechist at Christ the King Church of Uganda Nawanyago, called for the reinforcement of family values and equitable gender-responsive services.
She emphasized the need to emulate Christ's compassion and restore dignity to girls.
"Like Jesus Christ did, we need to look for the one lost sheep, help the girls grow and mature with dignity, looking at their bodies as temples of God not to be desecrated," Kaduuli said.
Gilbert Mugalanzi, Somero project officer in Kamuli, stressed the urgency of creating safe spaces for young mothers, helping girls re-enroll in school, and offering trade skills to restore dignity.
"As Somero and 100 Million, we welcome faith-based leadership as allies in creating safety nets, bridging healthcare gaps, and fighting stigma so these girls can move on with dignity," Mugalanzi said.
Somero, founded by young people in Kawempe Division after the death of a 17-year-old girl who was trafficked for commercial sex work and later died by suicide, is now active in 12 districts including Kamuli.
It has reached 15,000 individuals with skills training, education, and advocacy to protect children and young women from exploitation.
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