October 24, 2025 – Across Uganda, school dropouts, early pregnancies, and family conflicts continue to threaten children’s education and long-term peace within communities. According to UNICEF Uganda, about one in four adolescent girls becomes pregnant by age 19, one of the highest rates in East Africa. Many of these pregnancies lead to girls dropping out of school, contributing to the fact that only about 38% of pupils who start primary school complete their education, according to UNESCO’s International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa (IICBA). At the secondary level, outcomes remain similarly concerning, with completion rates stagnating at around 30%, as noted in a VOXDEV analysis. These realities underscore the urgent need to sensitize families and communities on how to protect and empower young people, ensuring that education remains a pathway to peace and opportunity.
Incorporating these realities and the needs expressed by local communities, the Whitaker Peace & Development Initiative (WPDI) carried out a six-month advocacy campaign across the Acholi Sub-Region of Uganda, reaching 656 children, adolescents, and parents in the Kitgum, Omoro, and Gulu districts. Through community meetings and interactive sessions, WPDI created safe spaces where parents, educators, and young people could openly discuss the root causes of school dropouts, early pregnancies, and family conflict—emphasizing the benefits of positive parenting, communication, and child protection as foundations for peace and education.
WPDI’s advocacy campaign addresses these challenges, helping parents and youth recognize the social and economic barriers that limit children’s potential and guiding communities toward inclusive, sustainable solutions.
“Attending the WPDI advocacy campaign meeting transformed my understanding of teenage challenges. I learned positive parenting skills, enabling me to communicate effectively, support my children’s education and emotional needs, prevent early pregnancies, and inspire other parents to do the same.”
— Grace, Kitgum District
“Before attending the WPDI advocacy campaigns, I saw teenage pregnancies merely as a moral issue. Now, I understand the importance of education and support systems, actively support my children, and encourage other parents to engage in their children’s well-being.”
— Okumu, Omoro District
“I struggled to understand the causes of school dropouts and factors affecting education before joining WPDI’s advocacy campaign meetings. Now, I actively advocate for learners, raise community awareness, and work with parents to create a supportive environment that keeps children in school.”
— Okwonga, Gulu District
Through these initiatives, WPDI continues to demonstrate that peace begins at home and that communities are the strongest when families, educators, and young people unite behind a shared commitment to education. Each conversation sows the seeds of understanding, each parent’s voice reinforces the right to learn, and each child inspired represents a step toward a more peaceful, equitable future for Northern Uganda.
By nurturing empathy, dialogue, and mutual respect, the advocacy campaign reminded participants that peace is a skill that can be learned, practiced, and passed on from generation to generation.
Thanks to the support of an anonymous donor