Some refugees in Bidi Bidi camps in Uganda have raised concerns over increase in the number of marriage of underage girls.
A secondary student, Flora Joseph, tells CRN that the issue of teenage pregnancy and underage marriage in the camps has become something major to worry about.
She attributes early marriage to frustration due to the sudden change in environment, lack of good education and parental guidance.
The girl also blames being idle as another key factor leading to underage marriage.
Another secondary student, Maneno Charity, says the teenagers accept to go for early marriage because they have been given a lot of freedom in the camps.
Some of them crossed to Uganda alone as refugees after being separated with their parents in the ongoing conflict in South Sudan, she adds.
Charity insists on the fact that the teenagers staying alone could be the main reason of early pregnancy.
She thinks the issue of no payment of dowry in the camps can also be considered a factor affecting teenage marriage.
According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization or UNESCO in South Sudan, 52 percent of girls marry before their 18th birthday.
The reports states that 1.3 million primary-school-age children are out of school and the country has the world’s lowest secondary school enrollment rate, at four percent.