Uganda: 'Lazy, Weak, Bewitched' - How Stigma Stops Uganda's Children From Getting Help, and What Schools Can Do About It

What the report says

A new analysis republished by AllAfrica says stigma and gender norms are preventing many Ugandan children and adolescents from getting help for mental health problems. Written by Lydia Namatende-Sakwa of the African Health and Population Research Center and based on research in Kampala, Jinja, Gulu and Mbarara, the piece draws on discussions with learners, teachers, parents, officials and community groups to show how distress is often misunderstood or dismissed.

The article says students’ struggles are shaped by overlapping pressures, including academic stress, poverty, family conflict, bullying, displacement, disability and trauma. It also notes that mental health difficulties are sometimes linked by communities to laziness, weakness, witchcraft or possession, which can keep young people from speaking up. Boys may be told not to cry or show emotion, while girls can face harassment, silence and added social judgment. The result, the author argues, is that children may hide anxiety, withdrawal or falling grades until problems become more serious.

The commentary places this discussion in the context of Uganda’s 2025 Ministry of Education and Sports mental health and psychosocial support guidelines for schools, which include training materials and advice on referral and wellbeing. The analysis says the next step is implementation: training staff, creating confidential support spaces, using respectful discipline and building links to health and community services.

It argues that schools should respond not only to symptoms, but also to the social and economic conditions behind them. The broader message is that reducing stigma and changing school systems together will be key to helping learners get care earlier and with dignity.