Brave Girls campaign targets teenage pregnancy, early marriages in Yumbe

What the report says

Stakeholders in Yumbe District, northwestern Uganda, have launched the Brave Girls 2026 campaign in response to high levels of teenage pregnancy, early marriage, school dropout and gender-based violence affecting girls in the area. The Independent Uganda reported that the effort is meant to protect girls, keep them in school and create a safer space for both in-school and out-of-school young people, including those with disabilities.

According to sexual and reproductive health rights stakeholders in West Nile cited in the report, Yumbe has the highest reported rates of teenage pregnancy, school dropout and early marriage in the region. The article said only one in 10 girls who start Primary One in Yumbe go on to complete Primary Seven, underscoring the scale of the challenge. The campaign is being rolled out under the theme “Amplifying Girls’ Voices, Advancing Girls’ Power and Potential.”

The initiative will work through schools, communities, barazas and outreach activities to share sexual and reproductive health information and build girls’ confidence to speak about issues affecting them. It is supported by Reach A Hand Africa through the PROTECT SRHR Project, the Aringa Kingdom, Yumbe District Local Government’s Community Services Department and other partners. Hajjat Medina Naham Ojale, speaking at the launch, urged parents to provide for and educate their children, while Aringa Kingdom Prime Minister Fadhil Lemeriga backed the campaign and called for skills training and more government funding for affected communities.

The broader context, based on the report, is that local leaders see the campaign as part of a wider response to social and economic pressures that contribute to adolescent pregnancy and child marriage in West Nile.