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A King’s Quest to End Early Marriage  
October 16, 2007—King Solomon Gafabusa Iguru is concerned about the welfare of his people. He presides over the Bunyoro-Kitara region of Uganda. Uganda’s oldest region, Bunyoro-Kitara boasts a strong clan system and bountiful natural resources. Despite the innate riches, the region has the highest rates of maternal mortality, HIV, early marriage, and of out-of-school girls in all of Uganda. King Solomon decided to do something about those rates. He began a quest to improve the lives of his people by combating the issue of child marriage in his kingdom. On Thursday, October 11, CEDPA welcomed senior members of AED, Corporate Council on Africa, RTI, USAID and the Ugandan embassy for a special conversation with the King regarding his efforts in combating child marriage and advancing the lives of girls in Uganda.
During the session, Prime Minister Kiiza Emmanuel Aliba explained the strategies implemented in Bunyoro-Kitara to bring awareness to the King’s campaign such as dramas and the use of positive role models. The King also made use of his position as a moral leader to require all marriages to be registered by clan leaders, and certificates are not issued to anyone below the age of 18. The King knows that the strongest nations are those that have educated all of their population, especially women and girls. “People tend to [marry off] young girls because of poverty,” explained King Solomon. “School fees cause the girls to drop out and they get married.” He has personally seen the detrimental effects child marriage can have on girls. Girls who are married at an early age are denied a childhood. They take on the responsibilities of running a household giving up their personal freedoms and more often than not the opportunity for an education. They suffer from physical and psychological repercussions as well. Communities that permit early marriage pay a high price. Child brides have not had the opportunity to develop a sense of self and lack the education to become productive members of their communities. CEDPA worked with King Solomon under the POLICY project to identify child marriage as an entry point for addressing reproductive health issues. CEDPA supports and partners with in-country organizations, particularly those that promote women and women’s networks. By supporting local organizations through training programs in organizational management, on-site technical assistance, and small grants, CEDPA build sustainable organizations and networks that can respond most effectively and responsibly to community needs over time. Learn more about CEDPA’s programs. |
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