By Wilson Oganan – Soroti City.
The Girls Leading Our World (Global Glow) has called for a collective action to
end Child marriage and ensure equal access to education and development
opportunities for all children, particularly from poor and vulnerable families.
The partnership Coordinator for Girl’s Leading Our World (GLOW), Andrew
Auruku, made the call in Soroti City during the commemoration of the 2026
International Day of the Girl Child, organized by GLOBAL GLOW Office at
Plains Country Home.
The Event, held under the theme, ‘’End Child Marriage and invest in Girl’s Rights,
’brought together Mentors, Media practitioners, Organizations like TOGETHER
TO GET HER and girls to discuss strategies for protecting girls’ rights, improving
their access to education and skills development.
Andrew noted that despite progress in promoting girl’s rights, millions of girls
worldwide continued to face discrimination, violence, poverty and conflict, which
restricted their choices and denied them opportunities to fulfil their aspirations.
According to GLOBAL GLOW’s 2026 estimates, approximately one in five girls’
worldwide is married before the age of 18, representing about thousands of women
and girls alive today who were married during childhood.

Andrew expressed concern that child marriage continued to deprive girls of
education, threaten health and expose them to violence, social isolation and
psychological distress.
He also highlighted the disproportionate impact of crises, conflicts and
displacement on girls, noting that such conditions increased their vulnerability to
child marriage, sexual violence and maternal mortality.
Harriet Anyipo, a Mentor working GLOBAL GLOW in Gweri Sub County in
Soroti District noted that child marriage was preventable, citing investments in
girls’ education, legal forms and social protection as important measures that had
helped avert an estimated thousands child marriages over the past years.
She called for sustained investment in girl’s education, improved access to
healthcare and social protection services, and stronger collaboration with families
and communities to challenge harmful social norms that perpetuated child
marriage.
Harriet urged stakeholders to advocate laws and policies that protect girl’s rights,
promote their leadership and ensure their participation in decisions affecting their
lives and future.
She further stressed the need for government officials in the education, health and
social sectors, women’s organizations and civil society to work together to address
challenges affecting children, particularly girls.
According to her, meaningful development could only be achieved when
government where children could learn, grow and thrive.
She urged parents and community leaders to protect children’s rights and create an
environment where they could access education, develop their abilities and realize
their full potential.
Judith Adeke who represented TOGETHER TO GET HER, Non-government
Organization, said ending child marriage required the collective efforts of
government, communities, civil society organizations, parents and other
stakeholders.
Judith reaffirmed the TOGETHER TO GET HER organization to working with
communities and other stake holders to strengthen child protection and ensure that
every child had the opportunity to thrive.

At the event, girls shared their experiences and highlighted challenges associated
with early marriage and limited opportunities to determine the course of their lives.
They appealed to parents and community leaders to support their education,
encourage skills development and give them the freedom to pursue their
aspirations and make decisions about their future.
the 2026 theme, ‘’End Child Marriage and Invest in Girls’ Rights,’’ calls for urgent
action to prevent child marriage and expand opportunities for girls to learn,
develop their potential and shape their investments.