Assessing Risks and Effects of Teenage Pregnancy and Child Marriage Among Girls Due to School Closure and COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown in Uganda

The impact of COVID-19 has been devastating and has particularly affected women and children. Some of the devastating consequences include a sharp increase in incidences of gender-based violence, forced marriages, sexual exploitation and teen pregnancies. Through its NORAD Framework Agreement, Save the Children Uganda is implementing the “Leave no Child Behind” Project which is an integrated education, child protection and child rights governance project in 92 schools in two regions of Karamoja (Moroto, Napak, Nakapiripirit, Nabilatuk and Kotido) and Acholi (Nwoya, Gulu, Amuru and Omoro).

To inform the project implementation framework, the current study assessed ongoing risk and effects of teenage pregnancy and child marriage among girls due to school closure and COVID-19 pandemic lockdown in Karamoja (Moroto, Nabilatuk) and Acholi (Gulu, Amuru) regions.