UGANDA: Bishop Wanok Calls For Concerted Effort to Mitigate Teenage Pregnancy and Early Marriage
Rt. Rev. Sanctus Lino Wano, Bishop of Lira
The Bishop of Lira Diocese Rt. Rev. Sanctus Lino Wanok says the vice of teenage pregnancy and child marriage in Lango Sub-region calls for a concerted effort to address the situation.
Rt. Rev. Wanok made the observation in an exclusive interview over the reality of teenage pregnancy and child marriages in Lango, the region of his area of jurisdiction where he was installed as Bishop four months ago.
He made the remarks following a concern raised by the Chairperson of Dokolo District, Frederick Odongo and other local leaders in the region regarding teenage pregnancy and child marriages, citing the Sub-counties of Agwata and Kwera as areas with rampant cases.
He attributes teenage pregnancy and child marriages to the current tendency of parents not adequately imparting Christian based moral values to their children.
The Bishop further pointed out negligence whereby some parents are not playing their parental role in the integral growth of their children, imploring the people to build well consolidated families where children can grow holistically and in peace.
He says there is need for all stake holders in Lango Sub-region to join hands in a bid to curb child marriage and teenage pregnancy.
“As we are discussing this, we are probably seeing that there is a lot more to be done. The parents, Religious leaders, civil society organizations and government, we must meet and get a way out in order to have a new global culture where values are not misplaced because many people don’t want values but they want short cut”.
The Bishop cited schools as institutions where children are taught moral values of society in a bid to keep them safe from the vice.
Local leaders, religious leaders and the civil society groups rank child marriage as the most critical issue facing the youth in their various localities, hence the Bishops’ call for combined efforts from all stakeholders.
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By Isaac Ojok
