Ker Alur Uses Girls’ Football to Tackle Teenage Pregnancy

What the report says

The Ker Alur Kingdom in Greater Nebbi is set to stage the fifth edition of the Queen Mother’s Cup, a girls’ football tournament intended to promote leadership, health, rights and inclusion while highlighting concerns such as teenage pregnancy and child marriage. According to Nile Post, the event is scheduled for Saturday at Nyaravur Primary School playground in Nyaravur-Angal Town Council, Nebbi District, and will feature teams from Okoro County in Zombo District, Padyere County in Nebbi District and Jonam County in Pakwach District.

The tournament, also called Kopu P’min Ubimu, is the girls’ counterpart to the kingdom’s established boys’ competition, Kopu P’ubimu. Ker Alur officials said it was created because girls had fewer chances to take part in the boys’ event and because the kingdom wanted to use sport to give girls a stronger public platform. Best Ayiorwoth, the kingdom’s youth team leader, said the choice of football was meant to show that girls can compete in a sport often associated with boys.

Nile Post reported that this year’s theme is “Kick Barriers: Girls Football for Leadership, Health and Rights.” Past editions have carried messages such as “Books Before Babies” and “Ending Child Marriage.” The kingdom is working with MEMPROW, a women’s rights and empowerment organization, to support the event and encourage a safe environment for girls in sport.

The competition also comes against a wider backdrop of concern about school dropout, teenage pregnancy and child marriage in the region. Organizers say the tournament is meant to do more than crown a winner by combining sport with messages that encourage girls’ confidence, participation and equal opportunity.