The Isebantu Kyabazinga of Busoga, William Gabula Nadiope, has been appointed UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador to lead the fight against teenage pregnancy in Uganda.
The new campaign aims to address the root causes of teenage pregnancy, including poverty, absentee parenting, and limited access to reproductive health services, with a special focus on the Busoga region.
The initiative, titled “Abasadha ne’Mpango” (Men are the Pillars), seeks to engage men and boys in transforming negative societal trends by promoting their active involvement in parenting, family leadership, and community building.
This comes after reports indicating that Busoga is among the regions with the highest rates of teenage pregnancies and child marriages in Uganda.
Haji Osman Ahmed Noor, the 2nd Deputy Prime Minister of Busoga Kingdom and Head of Partnerships, highlighted the Kyabazinga’s commitment to cultural, social, and economic transformation.
“This campaign aims to strengthen the family unit in Busoga, which is key to the region’s cultural and economic growth, as envisioned by His Majesty The Kyabazinga and Inhebantu,” he said.
The initiative will be supported by UNAIDS in collaboration with 11 UN agencies, including UNICEF, WHO, UNFPA, and the World Bank.
Each agency will bring its expertise to tackle issues like poverty, education gaps, access to reproductive health, and harmful social norms that perpetuate early pregnancies and child marriages.
Aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the campaign will also work toward UNAIDS' broader mission of achieving zero new HIV infections, zero AIDS-related deaths, and zero discrimination.
The campaign addresses several key drivers of teenage pregnancies, such as gaps in parenting, poverty, unemployment, and food insecurity.
It will encourage the active involvement of fathers in parenting, address economic pressures leading to early marriages, and seek to mitigate the vulnerabilities caused by food insecurity.
The initiative will also address the impact of harmful content on social media, educating adolescents on how to manage exposure to inappropriate information.
The Kyabazinga’s official appointment will take place on Friday, December 13, 2024, at the Busoga Kingdom Headquarters.
The event coincides with Uganda’s International Men’s Day celebrations and will feature free public medical services, including HIV/AIDS counseling and testing, TB screening, and prostate cancer screening.
This campaign is a joint effort by Obwakyabazinga bwa Busoga, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, and other partners.
It will be spearheaded by Kyabazinga Initiatives (KI), a development organization established under the Kyabazinga’s office in 2023.
KI will collaborate with kingdom structures, UN agencies, and community stakeholders to ensure the campaign’s success.
The campaign’s launch coincides with celebrations for His Majesty’s 36th birthday on December 14, 2024, which will include a royal banquet at Igenge Palace.
The following day, December 15, will feature the final match of the MTN Busoga Masaza Cup at Bugembe Stadium.
It will also see the unveiling of Busoga United FC by FUFA to the Kyabazinga, followed by a friendly match between the new team and the Uganda Cranes.
Owekitiibwa Osman Ahmed Noor encouraged the public to attend the festivities: “Join us at Kyabazinga Stadium Bugembe for this historic event as we celebrate His Majesty’s birthday and the unity of Busoga through sports.”
Kyabazinga William Gabula Nadiope IV’s appointment as a UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador highlights his dedication to empowering Uganda’s youth.
Through this campaign, he aims to inspire men and boys to become pillars of positive change, strengthen family values, and leave a lasting legacy of leadership and transformation.
