Understanding and Supporting Social and Emotional Learning Skills for Adolescent Girls During and After Covid-19 Pandemic in Uganda

Abstract

While COVID-19 affected everyone, adolescent girls were the most affected due to socio-economic barriers, further compounding their social and emotional well-being and Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH). This study employed a Feminist Participatory Action Research methodology to understand the adolescent girls’ social and emotional well-being and the Social-Emotional Skills (SES) they need for their SRH and learning during and post-COVID-19 period. The study participants included 158 adolescent girls from Yakwe school in Uganda. The study findings revealed an overwhelming majority of adolescent girls citing transactional sex for basic goods (especially menstrual hygiene products) and increasing social and emotional vulnerability to unplanned pregnancies. The study further revealed a lack of systemic support at school and family/community levels. The study recommends school-wide systemic supports targeting students, teachers, school leaders, and parents, prioritizing students’ social and emotional skills, and allocating necessary resources to develop the structures needed to nurture and sustain SES