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FAWE

Transforming Lives: Preventing Violence Against Children Across East Africa

FAWE (Forum for African Women Educationalists)

The Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE) is a pan-African Non-Governmental Organization founded in 1992 by five African women ministers of education. FAWE operates through 34 national chapters across sub-Saharan Africa to promote gender equity and equality in education. Its mission is to ensure that girls and women have access to quality education, enabling them to contribute meaningfully to their communities and societies. FAWE’s holistic approach includes advocacy, policy engagement, and community awareness, focusing on creating conducive learning environments that support the enrollment, retention, and completion of school for girls. .

Promoting School Re-Entry and Child Marriage Prevention:

FAWE Uganda has been at the forefront of advocating for girls’ education and reducing child marriage through both national-level advocacy and community-based interventions. FAWE’s work, supported by the Learning Initiative, focuses on ensuring teenage girls, including child mothers, can re-enter school and continue their education, while also addressing harmful cultural practices like child marriage.

Reach and Impact:

  • Geographical Reach: FAWE’s programs are active across rural and urban communities in Uganda.
  • Re-Enrollment of Girls: FAWE has successfully facilitated the return of 915 children, including teenage mothers and pregnant girls, to school through community campaigns and parenting sessions.
  • Attitudinal Change: 96.3% of parents now believe that child marriage is harmful, a significant increase from the baseline of 47.5%.

Positive Changes and Outcomes:

Reduction in Child Marriage: FAWE’s interventions have led to a notable reduction in support for child marriage, with 87.4% of parents indicating that key community figures (such as religious leaders and peers) no longer support the practice.

Support for Girls’ Education: FAWE’s advocacy has been instrumental in implementing re-entry guidelines for teenage mothers, helping girls return to school after dropping out due to pregnancy.

Good School Environments: FAWE’s efforts in school environments have resulted in 96.5% of schools meeting the minimum standards required to provide a safe and supportive environment, fostering the re-enrollment and continued education of teenage mothers.