The Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development is set to host a high-level strategic planning meeting with key stakeholders ahead of the 2026 Girl Champion Awards (GCA) ceremony scheduled for later this year.
The meeting, slated for Friday, 17th April 2026 at the Ministry headquarters, aims to gather input from partners and stakeholders in preparation for the awards. The 2026 theme, “Increasing Opportunities for the Girl Child,” will guide discussions and planning.
The Girl Champion Awards is a distinguished initiative dedicated to recognizing and celebrating the remarkable achievements and contributions of exceptional young girls
across Uganda. It is founded on the strong belief in the potential of girls to drive lasting, positive change within their communities.
Each year, Uganda commemorates the International Day of the Girl Child on 11th October. Over the past four years, the Kaleke Kasome Foundation, in collaboration with various partners, has organized the Girl Champion Awards to mark this important occasion on the United Nations calendar.
In this regard, the Commission for Youth and Children Affairs under the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, together with the SDG Secretariat in the Office of the Prime Minister, has committed to supporting the planning and execution of the 2026 National GCA. This builds on the successes achieved by the organizing committee in previous years.
About the Awards
The Girl Champion Awards shine a spotlight on outstanding and inspiring girls and young women who effectively utilize available resources and opportunities to improve their lives and make meaningful contributions to their communities.
The awards recognize individuals who demonstrate exceptional commitment to driving sustainable change across various sectors, while advocating for girls’ rights and amplifying their voices at community and national levels.
Goal of the GCA
The overarching goal of the Girl Champion Awards is to establish and operationalize a platform that celebrates and amplifies the work of girls and young women across all sectors who are committed to influencing sustainable change.
Objectives of the GCA
- To annually identify and recognize outstanding girls and young women who demonstrate courage, resilience, and passion in transforming their lives across different sectors.
- To amplify girls’ voices in holding duty bearers accountable on issues affecting the girl child.
- To create a platform that brings together key stakeholders in girl-child empowerment to share innovative and transformative approaches to ending violence against girls and women.
- To promote continuous male engagement in advancing gender equality.
Award Ceremony
The award ceremony will feature a red-carpet event where finalists and category winners will be officially recognized and celebrated.
Award Categories
- Girl Champion of the Year: Recognizes outstanding leadership, community involvement, and dedication to empowering girls across all sectors.
- Girl Earth Award: Honors champions in sustainable agriculture and environmental conservation.
- Survivor Advocate Award: Recognizes individuals using their experiences and platforms to advocate for the safety and protection of girls.
- Girl Education Award: Celebrates efforts in promoting access to education and skills development for girls.
- Unique Abilities Award: Honors girls and young women with disabilities who have overcome challenges and excelled in social and economic spheres.
- SRHR Girl Champion Award: Recognizes innovation and advocacy in sexual and reproductive health and rights.
- Girl Innovation Award: Celebrates creativity and innovation that drives social and economic impact.
- SDG Champion Award: Recognizes contributions toward promoting Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Uganda.
- Girl Lifetime Achievement Award: Honors long-term dedication to improving the lives of girls.
- Girl Sports Inspiration Award: Celebrates girls who inspire others through sports.
- Girl Master of Art Award: Recognizes artistic excellence that promotes the values and rights of the girl child.
- Media Girl Champion Award: Honors impactful initiatives by girls in the media sector.
Expected Outcomes
A total of 12 outstanding individuals will be recognized as champions and community role models. These awardees are expected to:
- Inspire communities to support and protect the rights of the girl child.
- Strengthen commitments among institutions and stakeholders toward gender equality.
- Promote actions aimed at ending all forms of violence against girls and young women.
- Influence positive behavioral and attitudinal change among duty bearers.
- Contribute to transforming harmful social norms and perceptions around masculinity that perpetuate gender inequality.
