The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Terego, Uganda | NEWS CORRESPONDENT | The Protect SRHR consortium has held an annual intergenerational dialogue in Terego District to strengthen community action against teenage pregnancies, child marriage and teenage motherhood.
The dialogue, held at Legu Grounds on 30 September 2026, brought together thousands of young people, parents, community leaders, health workers, local government officials and other stakeholders to discuss the factors contributing to teenage pregnancies and explore community-led solutions.
The event was officiated by Terego District Woman Member of Parliament, Hon. Rose Obigah, who called for stronger measures to protect adolescents from environments that may expose them to sexual exploitation and early sexual activity.
In her keynote address, Obigah called for the temporary suspension of daytime discos and earlier closure of night markets in the district, linking the environments to situations that can increase young people’s vulnerability to teenage pregnancy.
“I want to tell my people of West Nile, and the people of Terego in particular, what is going to stop teenage pregnancies, child mothers and child marriages in Terego. Number one on the list is: if we can do away with these local, useless discos,” she said.
Obigah said some young girls had reported becoming pregnant after attending dances, with sexual encounters taking place in surrounding areas such as mango trees and cassava plantations.
“Nobody can have sex by the roadside during the day. No. And nobody in Terego has a standard disco that will regulate children and adults. We don’t have such a disco,” she said.
She said local authorities had already issued a circular on the matter and pledged her support for its enforcement.
“And to all the discos, so-called discos in our communities, I am warning you: close them before you face the worst of your life. Because we need the girls. You cannot finish all the girls like this,” she said.
Call for earlier closure of night markets
On night markets, Obigah questioned why some markets operate until late at night when children often accompany their parents.
“How can markets go up to almost 11 at night, 10 at night? And where will the children be?” she asked.
She called for night markets in the district to close by 6:30 pm, arguing that children should not be exposed to late-night environments.
“These two things, if we can stop them, then we do intensive public education,” she said.
Teenage pregnancy remains a concern
The call comes as teenage pregnancy remains a concern in Terego and across the wider West Nile region.
According to Terego District Health Management System data presented during the PROTECT SRHR performance review, the district’s teenage pregnancy rate declined from 21% to 20% between September and December 2025.
The figures point to the need for continued interventions to address teenage pregnancies and related challenges, including child marriage and teenage motherhood.
At regional level, the 2022 Uganda Demographic and Health Survey reported that 14.6% of women aged 15–19 in West Nile had had a live birth. This is a different measure from the Terego teenage pregnancy rate and should therefore not be directly compared with the 20% district figure.
Strengthening youth-friendly services
Obigah also called for stronger adolescent-friendly health services, directing the District Health Officer to establish youth-friendly corners in health facilities across the district.
“We are going to create youth-friendly corners in all the health centres. The DHO has to do this immediately,” she said.
She further called for increased engagement with young people in schools and communities, emphasising the importance of listening to adolescents and understanding the challenges they face.
“We are going to visit schools and make sure the children speak out. The parents will also speak out, and we will see how we can reach common ground,” she said.
“We are not going to sit with children and say, ‘How are you saying this?’ No. We want to listen to them.”
PROTECT SRHR’s community approach
The dialogue was organised under the PROTECT SRHR project, a four-year programme supported by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and implemented across six West Nile districts: Terego, Yumbe, Maracha, Koboko, Nebbi and Pakwach.
The project is implemented by a consortium comprising International Rescue Committee (IRC), World Vision Uganda, Reach A Hand Africa, and Humanity & Inclusion, working closely with district local governments.
PROTECT SRHR seeks to improve access to and use of sexual and reproductive health and rights and sexual and gender-based violence services among adolescents, young people, women of reproductive age and marginalised groups.
The project also aims to reduce preventable maternal deaths, teenage pregnancies, sexual and gender-based violence and child marriage, as well as new HIV infections among adolescents, particularly girls. It further seeks to improve retention and completion of girls and boys in primary and secondary education.
Through community dialogues, health and education interventions, peer engagement and other approaches, the project brings together young people, parents, community leaders, health workers and local authorities to address the social and structural factors affecting adolescents’ sexual and reproductive health.
The Terego dialogue provided a platform for young people and adults to discuss the causes of teenage pregnancy and identify practical responses within their communities.
The organisers said sustained collaboration among young people, parents, schools, health workers, local government, cultural and religious leaders and civil society organisations will be critical to addressing teenage pregnancies and improving the wellbeing of adolescents in Terego.
