Sport as a Shield: Protecting Ugandan Girls from FGM and Gender-Based Violence
In Kapchorwa, eastern Uganda, athletics coach Zuena Cheptoek utilizes sport as a strategic tool to protect girls from female genital mutilation (FGM), child marriage, and gender-based violence. Working with the Joshua Cheptegei Development Foundation and the UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Programme, Cheptoek creates safe spaces where girls from the Sebei community can share their struggles and receive psychosocial support. The initiative combines athletic training with educational sponsorships and community engagement, including annual Christmas runs that facilitate dialogues with parents and cultural leaders about harmful traditional practices. By demonstrating the potential of girls through sports and education, the program challenges deep-rooted gender norms and poverty cycles that often lead to FGM and school dropout. This approach not only empowers individual athletes but also shifts community attitudes, showing parents that investing in girls' futures yields broader social benefits. The article highlights how sport serves as an entry point for discussing sexual and reproductive rights, ensuring girls can make informed choices about their bodies and futures while escaping the risks of early marriage and violence.
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Sport as a Shield: Protecting Ugandan Girls from FGM and Gender-Based Violence
In Kapchorwa, eastern Uganda, athletics coach Zuena Cheptoek utilizes sport as a strategic tool to protect girls from female genital mutilation (FGM), child marriage, and gender-based violence. Working with the Joshua Cheptegei Development Foundation and the UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Programme, Cheptoek creates safe spaces where girls from the Sebei community can share their struggles and receive psychosocial support. The initiative combines athletic training with educational sponsorships and community engagement, including annual Christmas runs that facilitate dialogues with parents and cultural leaders about harmful traditional practices. By demonstrating the potential of girls through sports and education, the program challenges deep-rooted gender norms and poverty cycles that often lead to FGM and school dropout. This approach not only empowers individual athletes but also shifts community attitudes, showing parents that investing in girls' futures yields broader social benefits. The article highlights how sport serves as an entry point for discussing sexual and reproductive rights, ensuring girls can make informed choices about their bodies and futures while escaping the risks of early marriage and violence.
United Nations<br>Population Fund