Program Areas

Access to Comprehensive SGBV and SRHR Services

Overview

At Women Destiny Changers Initiative (WDCI), we believe that every individual has the right to a fulfilling and safe sexual life, with the autonomy to make informed decisions about reproduction. Our work focuses on creating an enabling environment for the realization of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) for women and girls. We tackle barriers such as limited access, stigmatization, and discrimination against both users and providers of SRHR services.

We empower women and girls to make informed choices about sexual and reproductive health. Through community engagement, we influence social norms, attitudes, and practices to ensure broader access to SRHR services. These efforts contribute to the reduction of SGBV, child marriages, forced marriages, and early marriages.

This strategic area emphasizes increasing access to appropriate SGBV responses and life-saving SRHR services for women and girls. We address challenges like Violence Against Women and Girls, the stigmatization of SRHR service users and harmful practices such as child, early and forced marriages.

Overall Objective

To enhance bodily autonomy and reduce violence against women and girls by offering comprehensive, integrated SGBV responses and SRHR services.

Strategic Interventions

Advocacy

Build and disseminate evidence on emerging SRHR issues, VAWG, and related violations.
Conduct campaigns against SGBV, harmful practices, and retrogressive attitudes towards women and girls.
Promote greater awareness of SRHR and increase access to SRH services.
Advocate for the prioritization of SGBV and SRHR in local and national government planning and development processes.

Capacity Building

Strengthen the voice and agency of women and girls on issues of SRHR, VAWG, and other violations.
Document and share new knowledge and best practices, models, and strategies.
Mobilize, organize, and enhance the capacity of change agents in key areas of need.
Support a responsive media that promotes the rights and freedoms of women and girls.
Movement Building
- Support key actors in organizing, analysing, learning, strategizing, and acting on emerging VAWG issues.
- Establish, engage, and provide leadership in strategic women’s networks and movements.
- Mobilize and strengthen a critical mass of progressive thinkers, Women’s Human Rights Defenders (WHRD), and other relevant change agents on VAWG and SRHR.
Service Delivery
- Facilitate comprehensive rehabilitation and redress for SGBV survivors.
- Provide direct legal advice and referral services to victims of SGBV and other violations.
- Improve access to SRHR services for women and girls.

Reducing Teenage Pregnancies and Eliminating Child Marriage

Child marriage and teenage pregnancies are critical issues in Uganda, with 34% of girls married before their 18^th birthday and 7% married before the age of 15. These challenges are especially prevalent in rural and impoverished areas, where girls are often viewed as economic burdens. In Kasese District, where teenage pregnancies are alarmingly high, Women Destiny Changers Initiative (WDCI) is actively working to combat these issues. WDCI recognizes that poverty, lack of education, and harmful cultural practices are driving forces behind both child marriage and teenage pregnancies. By addressing these root causes, WDCI aims to empower girls and protect their rights, ensuring they can pursue education and achieve their full potential.

The intersection of child marriage and teenage pregnancy creates a vicious cycle that perpetuates poverty and gender inequality. Girls who marry early are often forced out of school, which limits their future opportunities and increases their vulnerability to poverty. This situation is further exacerbated by the high rates of teenage pregnancy, which often lead to early marriage as a perceived solution to the stigma and economic challenges associated with unplanned pregnancies. WDCI’s efforts in Kasese District focus on breaking this cycle by promoting education, advocating for legal protections against child marriage, and providing support for teenage mothers. These initiatives not only aim to reduce the prevalence of child marriage and teenage pregnancy but also to create a safer and more equitable environment for girls.

WDCI’s work is crucial in addressing the broader implications of child marriage and teenage pregnancy on girls’ health and well-being. Early marriage and pregnancy often result in poor health outcomes, including higher rates of malnutrition, maternal mortality, and mental health issues. Girls who marry early are more likely to experience violence and have limited decision-making power within their households. By focusing on empowering girls and preventing early marriage, WDCI is helping to improve the overall quality of life for girls in Kasese District. Their work is vital in ensuring that girls can grow up in a safe environment where they are free to pursue their dreams without the constraints of early marriage or motherhood.

Overall Objective:

To reduce the prevalence of child marriage and teenage pregnancies by addressing their root causes, empowering girls through education and advocacy, hands on skills, and creating a safe, supportive environment that promotes gender equality and protects girls’ rights.

Key Strategic or Program Interventions:

Advocacy: Advocate for stronger legal protections against child marriage and promote policies that support girls’ education and rights. Engage with local leaders, policymakers, and community influencers to drive legislative changes and enforce existing laws that protect girls from early marriage, teenage pregnancies and exploitation.
Capacity Building: Strengthen the capacity of local communities, schools, and healthcare providers to support girls at risk of child marriage and teenage pregnancy. Provide training for educators, health workers, and community leaders on identifying and addressing the needs of vulnerable girls.
Movement Building: Foster community-based movements that challenge harmful cultural practices and promote the value of educating girls. Mobilize community members, including parents and youth, to actively participate in campaigns and initiatives aimed at ending child marriage and reducing teenage pregnancy rates.
Service Delivery: Provide comprehensive support services for girls affected by or at risk of child marriage and teenage pregnancy. This includes offering educational scholarships, access to reproductive health services, counselling, and support for teenage mothers to continue their education and improve their livelihoods.