While the national average fertility rate stands at 5.4 percent, the levels in Karamoja are higher with 7.9 percent. The report shared by United Nations Population Fund, UNFPA with the regional leaders on Thursday shows that majority of the population in Karamoja are children with a average age of 15 years.
The high fertility rate among the young population in Karamoja has raised concerns in the region.
While the national average fertility rate stands at 5.4 percent, the levels in Karamoja are higher with 7.9 percent. The report shared by United Nations Population Fund, UNFPA with the regional leaders on Thursday shows that majority of the population in Karamoja are children with a average age of 15 years.
The report indicates that the high fertility has caused child dependency burden where too many children are fed by a small working population.
Presenting the report, Alain Sibenaler, UNFPA Representative in Uganda told the Karamoja Leader's Forum on Population, SRHR and Development that little or no savings and investments is realized in families due to the highest dependency burden. He observed that as a result, there is a vicious cycle of poverty in the region since income earners are unable to save and invest.
Karamoja currently has the highest poverty levels of 61 percent and the region accounts for less than 1 percent of Uganda`s total Gross Domestic Product, GDP.
The local leaders now want serious measures to be undertaken to save the population.
The Nakapiripirit Chief Administrative Officer, Aloysius Aloka, says local leaders should join hands with elders to regulate early and irresponsible marriages.
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Richard Aruk Maruk, the Regional Police Commander for Mt. Moroto and Nakapiripirit District Chairperson, John Nangiro called for regulation and interventions targeting lactating mothers and children.
“We have programs that sometimes encourage women to conceive. You find pregnant women receiving food, clothes and other items that others envy in the community. We need to streamline our interventions” said Nangiro at the Moroto Chamber hall.
Maruk, on the other hand, observed that some interventions encourage bad vices in the Karamoja community.
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But Moses Kizige, the State Minister for Karamoja Affairs urged the leaders to prioritize on education of children in the region. Kizige noted that education delays childbearing and makes parents responsible, reducing the dependency burden.
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Findings from the Uganda Demographic and Health Survey show that fertility rates vary with education levels; 2.6 percent for educated ones and 6.4% for the uneducated.
