Child prostitution fuels teenage pregnancy in city slums  

Child prostitution triggered by the biting poverty in slum areas of Kampala has been largely blamed for the rising cases of child mothers.                                      

Mr Edward Kizza, Chairman of Ssebagala Zone, Kawempe Division, acknowledged that girls as young as 12 engage in sex work to survive, exposing them to early pregnancies.

“Poverty, diseases and ignorance are a major problem here.  Some girls are tempted to have sex in exchange for a piece of chicken or food. That is why we have a big number of child mothers in such areas,” Mr Kizza said during the launch of a skilling program for teenage mothers in Ssebagala Zone, Kawempe Division on Saturday.

The program, spearheaded by High Sound for Children, will skill over 50 child mothers in tailoring, hairdressing, and entrepreneurship.’

Mr Kizza welcomed the project, saying vulnerable girls including those living in slums must be skilled and empowered economically to guard them against sexual exploitation.

Ms Hadija Namwanje, Founder of High Sound for Children, noted that child pregnancy is a manifestation of sexual violence and appealed to local leadership to identify perpetrators.

“Child pregnancy is a manifestation of sexual violence. I appeal to the local leadership to identify perpetrators of violence so that they can be apprehended and face the law,” she said.

According to Uganda’s National Strategy to end child marriage and teenage pregnancy, one in five women engage in sexual activity before 15, and Uganda ranks 16th globally in child marriage rates. Teenage pregnancy accounts for 22.3 per cent of school dropouts among girls aged 14-18.

Ms Annabelle Sebakijje Nakabiri, Executive Director of The Remnant Generation, highlighted the growing burden of commercial sexual exploitation fueled by poverty and challenged teenage mothers to stay focused on bettering themselves and their children.

“Change begins with you. It doesn’t matter how old you are. You can still rise and let your children have a different story. We can put an end to the cycle of abuse and poverty,” she said.

Residents and local leaders emphasized the need for collective efforts to address child prostitution and sexual violence, including involving boys and men in empowerment programs and providing support to organizations working in the area.