Uganda: UNFPA asks government to reopen schools following safety measures

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) country representative, Alain Sibenaler, has asked the government of Uganda to provide safe ways and consider reopening of schools to address the effects that the closure of institutions of learning has brought unto the girl child, according to a news report by Daily Monitor.

"Time is right for Uganda to look at standard operating procedures that fully respect the recommendations of the scientific taskforce but open schools probably in a phased manner so that the children have that opportunity to go back," Sibenaler said.

He was speaking at the launch of UNFPA State of the World Population Report 2020 in Kampala yesterday.

The report focuses on eliminating harmful practices against girls and women, including forced marriages, female genital mutilation, maternal mortality, and gender-based violence.

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated pre-existing sexual abuses and exploitation of women and girls. There are various reports of increasing forced marriages, teenage pregnancies, and abuse during the lockdown and more gross effects are looming if immediate action is not taken.

Schools have remained closed since March as a means to stem the spread of COVID-19 but unscrupulous men have taken advantage of the redundancy to prey on young school girls who are idle at home.