Adjumani Girl Child Run Sparks Campaign Against Child Marriage

Adjumani District recently hosted a “Girl Child Run,” a vibrant event designed to tackle the pressing social issues of child marriage and teenage pregnancy within its host and refugee communities. The initiative aimed to galvanize support and increase public consciousness around these critical challenges.

Official figures from the Adjumani District Health Office paint a concerning picture, revealing a teenage pregnancy rate of 15.2% between July 2025 and June 2026. This statistic underscores the urgent need to address factors contributing to early pregnancies, school dropouts, and the overall vulnerability of adolescent girls.

The run, which commenced at Adjumani Leisure Park, was officially launched by Deputy Resident District Commissioner Emmanuel Okware. He emphasized that combating child marriage necessitates a unified front, involving families, community leaders, and various institutions. Okware declared the run a “declaration of war against child marriage,” labeling it a detrimental social ill.

Organized by Overcomers Women Activist, the event coincided with preparations for the International Day of the Girl Child. Participants ran 6.8 kilometers through Adjumani Town Council, culminating at Adjumani Model Secondary School for aerobics and discussions focused on safeguarding and empowering young girls.

Olga Lindrio, Executive Director of Overcomers Women Activist, stressed the importance of strengthening community efforts to shield girls from rights violations and urged for amplified girls’ voices to help end early marriages. Community members, peer educators, and health workers echoed these sentiments, calling for increased awareness, men’s and parents’ active denouncement of the practice, improved access to sexual and reproductive health information, and the elimination of health risks associated with early unions.

The organizers identified poverty, harmful social norms, limited educational access, and insufficient support for vulnerable girls as key drivers of child marriage and teenage pregnancy. They appealed to all stakeholders to speak out, protect girls’ rights, and foster environments where girls can thrive in school and pursue their ambitions.

Source: Nile Post