RAISING TEENAGERS UGANDA’S COMMITMENT TO PROTECTING GIRLS’ RIGHTS AND ENDING CHILD MARRIAGE.

Every girl deserves to grow up safely, have access to education and have the freedom to shape her future. However, challenges like child marriage, gender-based violence, limited access to menstrual health products and unequal opportunities continue to affect many girls in Uganda and beyond. 

At Raising Teenagers Uganda (RTU), we believe every girl deserves the opportunity to realise her full potential. In commemoration of the International Day of the Girl Child (#IDGC2026), under the theme “End child marriage and invest in girls’ rights,” we reflect on our work with girls and the importance of creating communities where their rights are protected and their voices heard.

Since 2014, we have been working to promote and protect the rights of adolescent girls aged 10 to 19 through our programs like mentorship, life skills education, menstrual health and hygiene management activities like the #Hike4GirlsUg, education among others.  We recognise that empowering girls requires more than encouraging them to dream. It means providing the knowledge, support and opportunities they need to pursue those dreams.

Through initiatives like Girls Matter Clubs, we engage both girls and boys in conversations that challenge harmful attitudes and promote respect, equality and shared responsibility. We also work with parents, teachers and community leaders because protecting girls requires collective action.

Child marriage can interrupt a girl’s education, limit her opportunities and take away her ability to make decisions about her future. Addressing this requires more than awareness. It demands sustained action from families, schools, communities and institutions. At RTU, we promote conversations about girls’ rights, the importance of education and the need to challenge harmful practices. We believe every girl should have the opportunity to learn, grow and make informed decisions about her life without the threat of early marriage. Investing in girls means supporting their education, improving access to menstrual health resources, strengthening their confidence and creating spaces where they can express themselves and participate in decisions affecting them.

On 6th October 2026, we commemorated IDGC through hosting our 4th edition of the #UniteForGirls campaign at Raise Up A Child Primary School in Namayumba sub county. The event brought together 150 pupils from Raise Up A Child Primary School, Bukondo Chance Primary School and Leah Junior School, alongside 15 civil society organisations and five community leaders. This year’s theme was “When girls unite, communities transform” the event brought conversations about girls’ rights closer to the communities that shape their everyday experiences. The event gave young people an opportunity to take centre stage, share messages and contribute to conversations about their rights. It also demonstrated the importance of partnerships in creating safer and more supportive communities.

For us, IDGC is more than a day of celebration. It is a reminder that our commitment to girls must continue throughout the year. Every mentorship session, community dialogue and effort to keep a girl in school contributes to a future where girls can thrive. 

As we reflect on this year’s theme, we call upon parents to protect their daughters, schools to provide safe learning environments, community leaders to challenge harmful practices and partners to invest in initiatives that advance girls’ rights. We also encourage girls to know their rights, support one another and recognise the value of their voices.

At RTU, we remain committed to working with girls and their communities to build a world where every girl can grow up with dignity, access opportunities and realise her full potential. When we protect girls, we protect their dreams. When we invest in their rights, we strengthen their futures and when girls unite, communities transform.