Grapevine

Govt, partners use football to de-campaign violence against children

As cases of teenage pregnancies and violence against children surge in the country, government has partnered with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and the World Coaches Netherlands NGO to promote the safety of young people.

“The partnership we have is using football to deliver sexual and reproductive health and rights education to young people,” Amref Health Africa –Uganda official Michael Muyonga said during the training of community and school coaches at Enlight Vocational Institute in Matugga, Wakiso District, on September 28.

He added: “We have identified facilitators in schools to be trained as coaches so that as they coach football and use it as an entry point for providing sexuality education.”

According to him, they believe that young people are attracted to football and will be able to listen to issues around sexual and reproductive health.

“Young people should be able seek reproductive health services and also say no to premarital sex to avoid teenage pregnancies and Sexually Transmitted Diseases like HIV,” Muyonga noted.