BY KETRAH JJEMBA
KAMPALA
ON the day Uganda joined the world to commemorate International day of the Girl child, girls asked government to provide free internet access to all institutions of learning to promote easy and affordable online learning and research.
In a press conference held at Bunamwaya, girls under their organisation called Economic Social Empowerment for local communities (ESLA) said this year has been so challenging to them due to the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic which resulted into overwhelming challenges.
Grace Nazziwa, the team leader of ESLA pointed out teenage pregnancies, child marriages, unsafe arbortion, increased rate of domestic violence in homes and many other vices which were all subjected to girls during the lockdown have limited the ability of the girl child to thrive in the next generation.
She noted that, “We have tried to do online counselling to girls, sensitising them to participate in online learning but many failed due to high internet charges, other couldn’t afford OTT tax, others couldn’t afford smartphones and laptops and many were left out due to poor Network and in villages.”
Patience Eva Tendo said, “As this year’s theme goes, ‘Digital generation…our generation’, this is the time for our government and partners to wake up and provide free internet access to all institutions of learning, promote research and online learning as this is the only way the education sector can salvage the time lost during lockdown and closure of schools.”
She asked development partners to join hands with ESLA in empowering the girl child and that parliament should enact tough laws against abuse of rights of the girl child.
