The Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, Dr. Steven Kaziimba has launched a new campaign aimed at ending violence against children.

The campaign is a collaborative effort led by Girls Not Brides Uganda (GNBU), World Vision Uganda and other organizations engaged in the fight to end violence against children.

The program dubbed: "It takes a World Uganda campaign to end Violence against Children" will be implemented through engaging religious and cultural leaders, government, civil society organisations and communities.

While launching the campaign in Naguru, Kampala earlier Thursday, Kaziimba said the campaign was very timely program, especially during the COVID-19 season when the country is grappling with the escalating cases sexual violence against girls and others cases of violence against children.

This was during the 3rd National E-Girl Summit.

Kaziimba said violence against children is not only a gross human rights violation.

"It is also against the order of God. Children are a gift from God and we are all charged with the responsibility of protecting them," he said.

He stressed that the outbreak of COVID-19, may have worsened the violence against children, but it is equally revealed that the magnitude of the issue, and the gap created has given room for the vice to thrive.

"Why would father chose to defile their daughter or negotiate a case where their daughter has been sexually abused?," he asked.

(L-R) Mukono Resident Judge, Justice Margaret Mutoni, Jason Evans National Director at World Vision, Biira Lorine of Koloke Christine High school, Stephen Kazimba Mugalu, the Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, Lydia Latifah Nansubuga of Muyenga High school and Moses Ntenga, the Director of Joy for Children posing for picture after launching the commitment board to end child marriage among girls.

He said the huge increasing cases of child marriage and teenage pregnancies present a huge development issue in "this country".

"We can stop the irrational cycle of poverty, when children are giving birth to children. The statics of violence against children are very shocking. We cannot afford to fold our hands and assume all is well. We must rise up against all forms of child abuse," he added.

He noted that the Provincial Secretariat resolved that 2020 could continue to be the year of children under the theme from Exodus 2:9 "Take this child and nurse him/her for me".

"We focused on positive parenting to strengthen the family during this period of COVID-19. Now we have the positive parenting guidelines and if utilized well, it should transform families to raise morally upright and God glorifying children," Kaziimba added.

He appreciated the partnership taken by World Vision during the lockdown which contributed to raising awareness against the violence against children and GNBU for the commitment to end child marriages.

"Such campaigns create momentum that bring us together to address issues impacting our society," he said.

He urged all religious institutions to take priority in fighting violence against children.

The former resident judge Mukono, Justice Margaret Mutonyi said there is need for government to prioritize the future of children and only focusing on politics.

She said like they do to election petitions, even cases of sexual violence (defilement) must also be given a timeline.

Biira Lorine of Koloke Christine High school signing commitment board to end child marriage among girls

"We need to enforce laws to ensure that cases involving children are handled expeditiously. Cases of sexual violence take a lot of time due to the few judges yet political petitions are handled within a timeline. Many cases of sexual violence take years and are competed when even the victims are adults," she noted.

"We see an increase of MPs every electoral year. I don't think 500 MPs in Uganda are relevant in the current times. We need more judges. If these cases are heard on time and perpetrators convicted, it would instill fear among others intending to do the same," she noted.

She noted that there are 4882 cases supposed to be heard before the Chief Magistrates by only 37 magistrates with others covering more than one magistrate area, while 2, 086 cases (aggravated) are to be heard before the High Court, by 57 judges.

"We have to look at children as belonging to the community and all of us are responsible for them. Boys should be trained on how to respect the rights of girls. It is a boy child who is poorly raised who can abuse a girl child," she added.

The chairman GNBU, Moses Ntenga said government needs to throw more weight on campaigns and systems that protect the girl child.

"We also call on government to implement the sexuality education with right information to guide the young girls make right choices," he added.

The National Director World Vision Uganada, Jason Uganda said violence against children remains a challenge in Uganda and had worsened in the COVID19 pandemic.

He said there is need for a concerted effort to end the vice by all stakeholders.

Mukono Resident Judge Margaret Mutoni signing commitment board to end child marriage among girls

The commissioner from the ministry of gender, Angella Nakafeero said the laws are in place and only need support of other partners to be implemented.

"We need to get back to our cultural values and norms of raising children as a society," she added.

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