Identity and Belonging: Teenage Parenthood in Kampala’s Informal Settlements

Informal settlements (slums) are rapidly growing in the developing world. Teenage parenthood is a key feature in such settlements. The high prevalence of adolescent parenthood in Uganda is worrying and raises pertinent public health concerns as well as identity complexities. Youth surviving in informal settlements are affected by intersections of poverty, moral degradation, hyper sexuality and exposure to adult sexual content. Research relating to teenage parenthood is limited in two ways. a) less focus on how teenage parenthood informs identity and belonging of young men and women and, b) there is concentration on motherhood while neglecting teenage fatherhood. To cater for these gaps, we propose a cross sectional study design to elaborate on identity and belonging of teenage parents in Kampala’s informal settlements, whether and how these have shifted during the covid-19 pandemic. Given the sensitivity of the subject, qualitative methods of data collection and analysis will be adopted. Study findings are anticipated to contribute to a more nuanced understanding on the notion of teenage parenthood and consequently inform policy and programing relating to young people.