BY F MALE: Government officials, youth leaders, civil society organisations, and development partners came together at the Regional Learning and Celebration Festival to reflect on a transformative journey that has tackled some of Uganda’s most pressing social challenges.
Peace Mutuuzo, the Minister of State for Gender, and culture, speaking at the event, hailed the programme as a shining example of what can be achieved through meaningful collaboration between government, youth, and civil society. “This is a moment of reflection, a platform of knowledge, and a celebration of a journey that has transformed lives, communities, and policies,” Minister Mutuuzo remarked.
The Minister praised the consortium’s efforts and applauded community-level partners like the Ndere Center for keeping their doors open to young people and helping them realise their potential. According to Mutuuzo, this aligns with the government’s commitment to nurturing talent and building stronger partnerships that will carry these achievements forward.
Uganda has made significant legal strides with the enactment and amendment of laws including the Anti-Female Genital Mutilation Act (2010), the Domestic Violence Act (2010), and recent updates such as the Employment (Amendment) Act (2023) and the Computer Misuse Act (2023).
However, Minister Mutuuzo acknowledged that legislation alone is not sufficient to end harmful practices. She emphasized that the implementation of such laws requires strong partnerships between government and civil society, working at the community level where change is felt most deeply. Mutuuzo reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring that youth remain central in planning, designing, and implementing future government programmes.
Mondo Kyateeka, Commissioner at the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, called for a paradigm shift in youth programming and population management across Africa. Kyateeka emphasized the need to learn from both the past and present to create a better, more sustainable future.
He praised the Poet Youth Program, whose mantra, “Change starts with you,” has inspired and empowered a new generation of young leaders. “I was impressed to hear testimonies from CEOs, executive directors, vision bearers, and founders all young people who have risen through the ranks with support from this program,” Kyateeka said.
He commended the Power to Youth initiative for adopting an asset-based approach to youth engagement — a model that prioritizes youth as active participants rather than passive recipients of aid or programs. Kyateeka underscored the critical need to invest in youth through quality education, health services, and skills development, describing these as the pillars for unlocking Africa’s demographic dividend. “The power to change the situation of young people in Africa lies with young people themselves and nowhere else,” Kyateeka emphasized.
However, his speech took a sobering turn as he addressed Africa’s rapid population growth, calling it a “dilemma” that threatens the continent’s social and economic progress. “Africa’s rate of human multiplication is unsustainable. People must not simply get pregnant — they must plan to get pregnant,” Kyateeka affirmed.
According to Kyateeka, statistics show that 42% of all pregnancies in Uganda are unplanned, and 60% of these are teenage pregnancies. He went on to say that despite Uganda’s interventions, the numbers remain high, calling for the need to find a lasting solution so that mothers can give birth to children they can support.
Dr. Irene Mwenyango, Assistant Commissioner for Adolescent Health at the Ministry of Health, emphasized that Uganda’s future depends on the well-being and empowerment of its young population. She noted that Uganda is a youthful nation with the majority of its population made up of young people to secure their future, there is need to empower them to reach their full potential.
Mwenyango acknowledged that teenage pregnancies remain at 24%, and early marriages continue to rob young people of opportunities She acknowledged the critical role of the Power to You(th) initiative in amplifying government efforts, particularly in reaching young people living in border districts, islands, and other marginalized areas.
Among the organisers are the Coalition for Change, led by Reproductive Health Uganda (RHU), in partnership with the Uganda Youth and Adolescent Health Forum (UYAHF), the Eastern African Sub-Regional Support Initiative for the Advancement of Women (EASSI), and supported by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs.