World Bank ranked Uganda among the top 20 ‘hotspot’ countries for child marriages. In 2013 it was ranked 16th out of 25 with the highest rate of early marriages with 46% marrying before the age of 18 and 12% before 15 years, making child marriage cases in northern Uganda increase to a high level. Hence FIRD has embraced Participatory School Governance which plays a key role in preventing and kicking out child marriage as a community based participatory approach to curb down the vice that has plagued our community and increasing school dropouts with in Lango and Acholi sub –region.
Through the consortium of various partners and stake holders including parents, teachers, the community, community based structures, cultural institutions, religious institutions and district officials and children FIRD together with PLAN International Uganda and Other partners will continuously engage to Under the ‘DECIDE’ project to contribute towards preventing child marriage and teenage pregnancies by creating safe spaces and empowered children to Decide, Act, Voice and Thrive.