The Impact of COVID-19 on Child Marriage and Female Genital Mutilation in Uganda

Submitted by on Fri, 05/05/2023 - 18:07

This report collates the findings of a study on the impact of COVID-19 on child marriage and female genital mutilation (FGM) in Uganda. The study shows evidence and perspectives on how the pandemic impacted the vulnerabilities of adolescent girls and boys in selected districts and refugee communities. According to the Report, the pandemic lockdowns and other restrictions increased the rates of child marriage by increasing the risk factors that drive the practice, particularly levels of poverty and access to education across all the study sub regions (West Nile, Karamoja and Sebei/Bugisu). According to UNFPA, a total of 354,736 teenage pregnancies were registered in 2020 and 290,219 between January and September 2021.

UNICEF, Feb 2022 https://www.unicef.org/uganda/media/14006/file/Impact%20of%20COVID-19%20on%20Child%20Marriage%20and%20FGM.pdf