The Let the Child Speak podcast aims to give children a platform to share their experiences and influence decisions affecting their rights, education, protection and future.
Joy for Children Uganda (JFCU) has launched a child-centred advocacy podcast to amplify children’s voices and promote their participation in decisions affecting their lives.
The podcast, Let the Child Speak, was officially launched on October 15, 2026, during the organisation’s post–International Day of the Girl Child celebrations.
The event brought together children, government representatives and civil society organisations to discuss girls’ rights, ending child marriage and strengthening meaningful child participation.
Moses Ntenga, JFCU’s founder and executive director, opened the event by emphasising the need to involve children in conversations and decisions affecting their wellbeing and future.
He called for a shift from merely discussing children’s issues to actively including children in shaping decisions concerning their lives.
Representing the guest of honour, Dr Mercy Faith Lakisa, Minister of State for Youth and Children’s Affairs, Rodgers Golooba, a senior welfare and probation officer at the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, highlighted government efforts to equip girls with the resources and knowledge they need to protect their rights.
He also pointed to collaborations with cultural leaders to challenge practices that promote child marriage, stressing the importance of stronger partnerships in achieving lasting change.
Golooba further raised concerns about the pressure population growth places on public services.
“1.8 million children are born each year in Uganda, and the service delivery system that we have, with its systemic challenges, cannot cope with the growing population demands,” he said.
He warned that the growing demand for services could compromise their quality. The population figure and quotation should be confirmed against the original remarks before publication.
A panel discussion brought together Ruth Kintu, deputy commissioner of the Child and Family Protection Department at Naguru Police Headquarters; Joyce Nakato, team lead at the Uganda Youth and Adolescents Health Forum and co-chair of Girls Not Brides Uganda; and Kwagala Jemimah, a student at Kawanda Secondary School.
The discussion was moderated by Joan Ndagire, a digital security ambassador at Taibah International School.
Panelists identified limited awareness of children’s rights as one of the factors contributing to the continued acceptance of child marriage and teenage pregnancy.
Kintu highlighted the importance of a clear legal framework in addressing child marriage, referring to the National Strategy to End Child Marriage and Teenage Pregnancy, which recognises both formal and informal unions.
Nakato commended the government’s strategy, saying approximately 38 per cent of it had been rolled out across the country. Her remarks highlighted the need to translate policy commitments into practical interventions that protect girls, prevent child marriage and teenage pregnancy, and expand opportunities for young people.
Children also took an active role in the discussions. A separate panel featuring boys from Kawanda Secondary School highlighted the importance of involving boys in efforts to advance girls’ rights.
Katongole Ethan emphasised the role of education and sexual and reproductive health and rights awareness in preventing child marriage and teenage pregnancy.
He said equipping girls with relevant knowledge could help them make informed decisions about their lives and futures.
Another highlight was a poem by Athem Nshuti, a Kawanda Secondary School student, who captured the importance of practical child protection in the words: “Protection is more than words we say, it is the action we take every day.”
The poem reinforced the need to translate commitments to children’s rights into meaningful action.
Chief guest Stella Ayo-Odongo reflected on the evolution of child rights advocacy and highlighted milestones such as the establishment of children’s parliaments.
She stressed the importance of building on these achievements by ensuring advocacy translates into tangible improvements in children’s lives.
Through Let the Child Speak, JFCU seeks to create safe and inclusive spaces where children can share their experiences, express their views and engage with adults and institutions responsible for their wellbeing.
The initiative aims to help decision-makers understand children’s perspectives and incorporate them into policies, programmes and decisions affecting their lives.
The launch marks another step in JFCU’s efforts to strengthen child participation and advance children’s rights in Uganda, underscoring the need to ensure children are meaningfully included in decisions shaping their present and future.
