Undeterred by the day’s rain, participants from safe spaces and students from Luwero Girls School demonstrated unwavering determination as they paraded through Luwero town. Dressed in bright pink t-shirts, accompanied by a vibrant marching band, and carrying banners adorned with the message of the day: “Invest in Girls’ Rights: Our Leadership, Our Well-being”, they marched and sang songs.
Globally, the girl child encounters many difficulties including sexual and physical abuse, rights infringement , harmful social norms, restricted access to education, and acts of violence rooted in gender disparities. The list provides only a glimpse of the several challenges encountered by girls worldwide. This is why Children’s Rights and Violence Prevention Fund took great pride in joining the world to advance gender equality and building girls’ power during our celebration of the International Day of the Girl Child this year.
This year, participants from twenty Safe Spaces , overseen by the Luwero Cluster which includes Just Like my Child, Team Uganda, Nakaseke Child Community Care and Concern for the Girl Child, as part of our Adolescent Girls Power Programme, organised and hosted the commemoration of the International Day of the Girl Child at Luwero Girls School in Luwero district. The day was centred around the theme “Invest in Girls’ Rights: Our Leadership, Our Well-being”.
Following the march, the programme commenced. The songs and poetry that were performed were original compositions about their lives and aspirations: “We are the mothers of tomorrow.” During the performances, participants showcased a variety of products that they had crafted during their safe space sessions. The range of products made by the girls included; liquid soap, packaged snacks, bags, and clothing, all of which were available for purchase. Guests attending the event had the opportunity to receive free HIV, Hepatitis B, and Sickle Cell tests, which are prevalent among adolescent girls. Luwero Hospital generously set up a dedicated testing area that operated the whole day.
The event was graced by numerous individuals, among them the Assistant Probation Officer of Luwero. In her speech, she expressed gratitude towards CRVPF and its partners, as well as all the participants of the Safe Spaces programme, for their commendable efforts in imparting vocational and life skills. Furthermore, she highlighted the findings of a government survey, which indicated a decline in the prevalence of HIV among adolescent girls in Luwero, and attributed this positive outcome to the implementation of the Safe Spaces. She provided an explanation for the decrease, assigning it to three distinct factors. Firstly, the provision of safe places serves to engage and occupy adolescent girls productively, mitigating their involvement in activities that may expose them to the risk of developing HIV. Secondly, she explained that within the framework of the Sexual and Reproductive module taught in safe spaces, participants receive education about HIV, thereby equipping them with knowledge to make informed decisions and subsequently leading to a decrease in the prevalence of HIV. One further factor that she ascribed to the efficacy of safe spaces in mitigating HIV prevalence was the provision of free routine HIV testing to participants of safe spaces by the Ministry of Health.
According to Rita Nakaliisa, a participant of one of the Luwero Safe Spaces, the significance of the International Day of the Girl Child lies in its representation of how far the girl child has come. Rita explained that
“Back then, when there was no money for school fees, girls would be forced to get married, but now there are opportunities for us like Safe Spaces where girls can learn and even become ministers like Rebecca Kadaga.”
Rita proceeded to articulate how she feels “very, very, happy” to be involved in a programme that not only empowers but also educates young girls in acquiring new skills. She explained that these skills have helped to mitigate her susceptibility to harassment by men, as she is now capable of generating income by utilising the knowledge acquired during safe space sessions.