Human rights education programme empowers Sudanese refugee girls in Uganda to become advocates for their communities, part of an Education Cannot Wait-funded initiative.
KIRYANDONGO DISTRICT, Uganda, Dec. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- In a classroom in Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement, a circle of girls lean forward as the discussion turns to rights, dignity and justice. Some are hearing these words framed this way for the first time. Others recognize them instantly from their own lived experiences. What brings them together is a shared determination to turn knowledge into action - and to help reshape the futures of girls like themselves.
In August, Legal Action Worldwide (LAW), together with its partner the Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa (SIHA), launched a comprehensive human rights education training for out-of-school Sudanese refugee girls in Uganda affected by the ongoing conflict in Sudan.
Supported by an Education Cannot Wait (ECW) Acceleration Facility grant, the programme combines legal education with mental health and psychosocial support, while also helping participants access formal and non-formal education opportunities. It is a holistic approach designed not only to inform, but to heal and empower.
In late August, LAW and SIHA held two pilot sessions of the programme in Uganda. Twenty-five out-of-school girls aged 11-18 came together for three days of intensive learning. They explored human rights, gender equality, gender-based violence, sexual violence, referral pathways, psychosocial support and first aid, alongside practical sessions on creating and delivering advocacy messages and how to become an agent of change.
"We cannot wait to finish this training and contribute to our community with what we have learned here," said one participant.
The girls shared personal experiences and addressed topics rarely discussed in their communities. Displacement has disrupted many of their educations and heightened risks to gender-based violence and exploitation. The training offers a supportive space that helps build resilience and confidence amid ongoing uncertainty in their host country.
The initiative also focuses on sustainability. During the pilot session, LAW and SIHA trained 10 trainers - seven of them women - equipping them to deliver the programme to a further 175 girls across seven three-day sessions in Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement.
"I have never been to a training like this. It was flexible, and allowed us to participate and to contribute with our own experience," said a new trainer.
The first full training sessions for girls began in mid-October in Kiryandongo. In November, the initiative entered its second phase, mentoring selected participants to become agents of change in their communities and beyond. The girls are supported to implement the advocacy strategies they designed during the training, amplifying the voices of Sudanese refugee girls and addressing issues such as girls' education, child marriage and gender-based violence.
The programme aims to respond to a stark reality. The ongoing armed conflict in Sudan has displaced nearly 14 million people inside Sudan and across its borders, leaving millions of children without access to education.
The conflict has also driven gender-based violence to alarming levels, with sexual violence against women and girls reported as systematic and often used as a tactic of war. The United Nations has documented widespread rape, including against children, as well as abductions of women and girls. With medical, legal and protection systems collapsing, survivors face immense barriers to safety, care and justice, while women and children continue to bear the heaviest burden of the crisis.
As refugees, many Sudanese girls face additional barriers to education, with fewer than half enrolled in formal programmes. In Uganda, where many Sudanese refugees have sought refuge, these challenges are amplified by limited resources and educational opportunities.
The initiative in Uganda seeks to break cycles of exclusion and silence. Through advocacy and outreach programmes, support from local educators and referral pathways with education in emergencies actors, participants of the programme will also be provided with support to access formal and non-formal education programmes in Uganda.
It is a landmark investment in girls' leadership that seeks to build a network of young female advocates who often act as first responders and can champion the rights and needs of refugee girls - while also addressing the broader cycles of violence they and their communities have been forced to endure.
As one girl's words make clear, the impact is already taking root. "I learned that education is a right and a powerful tool for empowerment. My plan is to return to school next year. With the knowledge I have gained, I hope to sensitize other girls in the community about their rights."
With tailored support, these girls are preparing to do exactly that - transforming knowledge into advocacy, and adversity into leadership.
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