In mid-February, 36 participants from the Girls Not Brides Uganda National Partnership, the Ugandan government and the African Union Commission, met together for a 3 day workshop. Together, we started the process of co-creating a workplan and strategy to strengthen the impact of the financial investment to end child marriage in Uganda. This marks the next step in our collective response - a chance to understand each other better, celebrate past successes, build consensus on the important issues, and take initial steps towards a strategic work plan.
The high-energy, high-engagement meeting was the first of its kind in Uganda, bringing together members from across the country to discuss how to work as a collective, what the role of individual members could be, and to create a united response. The take-away was clear for all - it’s about what each of us can give to the movement, not what the movement can give to each of us.
What’s next?
This is just the start of the collective strategy development - and we’ll now build on this base with more detailed work-planning and design. Collective action is not a one-off event but a way of working, a mindset - and a web of relationships. Watch this space.