The Government of Uganda, together with its development partners, has today launched the National Guidelines on Health Education and Life Skills for Out-of-School Adolescents and Youth.

The launch took place in Kampala and aims to address the growing challenges faced by young people outside the formal education system.

Developed under the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, the guidelines seek to tackle issues such as early pregnancies, substance abuse, mental health challenges, limited access to sexual and reproductive health services, unemployment, and poor nutrition.

Officiating at the launch, State Minister for Youth and Children Affairs, Balaam Barugahara, emphasised the urgency of implementation.

The Minister noted that issues such as defilement and early marriages continue to affect many young people, making health education and life skills a critical government priority.

Stakeholders in the health and youth sector have welcomed the move, calling it timely and necessary.
Magret Nanyombi, Programs Manager at the SRHR Alliance Uganda, said the guidelines fill a long-standing gap.

She also urged the government to translate the guidelines into local languages to make them accessible to all youth, including those with limited education.

Patience Namanya, Coordinator of Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH) called for increased focus on parenting, nutrition, and the boy child in implementation efforts.

Development partners have also backed the initiative, emphasising the need for evidence-based approaches.

Representatives from the United Nations Population Fund and the Kingdom of the Netherlands, including Bouwe Jan Smeding and Kristine Blokhus, noted that effective implementation could help reduce child marriages and gender-based violence.

The guidelines were developed through a consultative process involving government ministries, religious and cultural leaders, civil society organisations, youth representatives, and development partners.