The adolescent girls vulnerability index: Guiding strategic investment in Uganda

Abstract

The Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development is the Government of Uganda's leading and coordinating agency for the Social Development Sector. The Ministry is responsible for community empowerment, protection and promotion of the rights of vulnerable groups in society and gender responsive development. The Ministry's mandate is to empower communities to harness their potential through cultural growth, skills development and labour productivity for sustainable and gender responsive development. UNICEF is mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to advocate for the protection of children's rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential. We are guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child and strive to establish children's rights as enduring ethical principles and international standards of behaviour towards children. Through our country programmes, we work to promote the equal rights of women and girls and to support their full participation in the political, social, and economic development of their communities. The Population Council confronts critical health and development issues-from stopping the spread of HIV to improving reproductive health and ensuring that young people lead full and productive lives. Through biomedical, social science, and public health research in 50 countries, we work with our partners to deliver solutions that lead to more effective policies, programs, and technologies that improve lives around the world. Established in 1952 and headquartered in New York, the Council is a nongovernmental, nonprofit organization governed by an international board of trustees.

Gender norms associated with adolescent sexual behaviours in Uganda

“…Women and girls face more gendered risks than their male counterparts, which affects their social, economic and political opportunities (Mbonye et al 2012;UNAIDS 2016;UNICEF 2015). Risks such as poverty, school dropout owing to pregnancy or early marriage, sexual harassment and continuing parental preference to invest in the education of boys, limit girls from reaching their full potential (Amin et al 2013;Bantebya et al 2014;Burgess and Campbell 2016;Ssewamala et al 2010). Gender norms and power dynamics between men and women have been widely studied in the context of HIV and gender-based violence in adult populations (Nanda 2011).…”

Socio-Cognitive Factors Associated With Condom Use, Multiple Sexual Partnerships, and Contraception Use Among Sexually-Active Adolescent Girls in Uganda

“…The decision to use condoms is often controlled by a woman's partner (Baxter & Abdool Karim, 2016). Multiple sexual partnerships among adolescent girls are also reported to be on the rise where transactional sex, girls engaging in pre-marital relationships with older men, arranged marriages for financial gain, sexual coercion and forced sex are eminent (Bantebya et al, 2014;Amin et al, 2013;Doyle, Mavedzenge, Plummer, & Ross, 2012;Kazaura & Masatu, 2009). In Uganda, adolescent girls aged 15-19 who reported having multiple sexual partners in the past 12 months increased from 2.1% in 2011 to 2.7% in 2016 [UBOS, 2018;UBOS, 2012].…”

Adolescent sexual and reproductive health needs in Uganda

“…Amin, S., Austrian, K., Chau, M., Glazer, K., Green, E., Stewart, D., & Stoner, M. (2013). The Adolescent Girls Vulnerability Index: Guiding strategic investment in Uganda.…”

“…The decision to use condoms is often controll ed by a woman's partner . Multiple sexual partnerships among adolescent girls are also reported to be on the rise where transactional sex, girls engaging in pre-marital relationships with older men, arranged marriages for financial gain, sexual coercion, and forced sex are eminent Amin et al, 2013;Doyle, Mavedzenge, Plummer, & Ross, 2012;Kazaura & Masatu, 2009). In Uganda, adolescent girls aged 15-19 who reported having multiple sexual partners in the past 12 months increased from 2.1% in 2011 to 2.7% in 2016 [UBOS, 2018;UBOS, 2012].…”

“…Women and girls face more gendered risks than their male counterparts, which affects their social, economic and political opportunities (UNAIDS, 2016;UNICEF, 2015;Mbonye et al, 2012). Risks such as poverty, school dropout owing to pregnancy or early marriage, sexual harassment and continuing parental preference to invest in the education of boys, limit girls from reaching their full potential Amin et al, 2013;Ssewamala et al , 2010;Burgess & Campbell , 2016). Gender norms and power dynamics between men and women have been widely studied in the context of HIV and gender-based violence in adult populations (Nanda, 2011).…”