RESUMO
Child marriage remains a significant challenge in Uganda despite national policies, legislation and programs for improved rights of girls. This ethnographic study aimed to explore underlying drivers of child marriage in Lira district, Northern Uganda. We applied a triangulation of qualitative methods; in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, key informant interviews and observations. Data were analysed using qualitative thematic content analysis. Our study findings showed that child marriage is still prevalent in the study area and the practice was also carried out at designated markets, at which girls were traded in exchange of livestock. The main drivers of child marriage were identified as poverty and survival strategies; socio-cultural beliefs and norms; and school dropouts. Determined efforts are needed to address the socio-cultural drivers of child marriage, keep girls in school, address poverty through targeting the family and individual level with appropriate incentives to address the economic needs of girls and families to delay marriage, enforce laws prohibiting the practice of child marriage, equip teenagers with accurate information on SRHR and ensure that parents support their daughters to be educated and responsible adults.
RESUMO
Immunization is the means of protecting a child or person against disease by the vaccines. The body is exposed to a parasite's antigen and this activates the person's immune system to be able to act faster and more strongly against the parasite. Therefore; immunisation is about boosting the body's defence mechanism through prior exposure to harmless antigens of the parasites in form of vaccines. Immunisation is one of the surest ways of preventing disease notably in children. It is one of the key elements of Primary health Care (PHC) as stipulated in the Alma Ata conference of 1978. In 1982; when the Ugandan government together with UNICEF saw that PHC could not be implemented in totality and priotisation was made; immunisation was selected. This was under the GOBIFFF (Growth monitoring; ORS; Breastfeeding; Immunization; Food security;Family planning and female education) initiative. The emphasis of the Immunization programme is on children since they are the most vulnerable due to weak immunity. In Uganda and other developing countries; the priority has been given to the six killer diseases namely: Tuberculosis; Poliomyelitis; Tetanus; Diptheria; Whooping cough; and measles. The exercise is implemented under the supervision of Uganda National Expanded Programme on Immunization (UNEPI) with funds from UNICEF. Immunisation starts at birth with BCG and Polio 0 vaccines. The child then gets DPT/Polio 1;2;3 and 6;10 and 14 weeks respectively. Later at 9 months; the infant is supposed to get the measles antigen. The routine immunisation is now complete. Therefore by the end of the first year; all children should have been immunised against all the six killer diseases. Other than routine immunisation; since 1996; there has been a universal programme every year aimed at eradicating Poliomyelitis through the national Immunization Days (NIDs). The target population is children under the age of 5 years