Nnabagereka appeals for revival of humanness

The Nnabagereka of Buganda Kingdom, Sylvia Nagginda has appealed for the revival of humanness (Obuntubulamu) in order to end violence against children.

Nagginda who was represented by the vice-chairperson of Nnabagereka Development Foundation, (NDF), Dr. Maria Nassali , emphasized that humanness should be the core of all interventions to eliminate child violence.

“Values of humanness such as empathy, sense of shame, and responsibility are some of the many values that we need to inculcate in the minds of the community. Humanness aims at triggering a sense of responsibility among communities towards our children,” Nagginda said.

Children listening to prersentations during the children’s dialogue at Golden Tulip hotel in Kampala on  November 18, 2021.

She made the remarks during the children’s dialogue organized by Child Fund Uganda in commemoration of Universal Children’s Day in Kampala on Thursday.

The dialogue organized under the theme “impact of Covid-19 on the girl child” aims to elevate issues and concerns towards the protection of children.

In promoting the values based on humanness, Nagginda disclosed that “we are careful to separate positive cultural traditions from negative ones. Positive traditions build strong families that grow and work together to provide a healthy foundation for children.”

In addition, Nagginda said positive attitudes also encourage communal support, build unity and a sense of belonging, and shape character. Adding that negative cultural values and harmful practices undermine the integrity of society.

Nagginda noted: “No child should be treated unfairly. It is the responsibility of parents to protect children from violence. When children share their experiences with their parents, it gives us an opportunity to get first-hand accounts that would help in understanding their situations.”

As a kingdom, Nagginda said they are advocating for culture as a vehicle for addressing development needs as well as the need to revive and celebrate positive cultural values in the world.

To commemorate International Day of the Girl Child and Universal Children’s Day on November 20, Child Fund Uganda engaged children in an essay writing competition.

To participate in the competition, the country director of Child Fund, Moses Otai, said, “We requested children in the categories of 10-14 years and 15-18 years to write essays on the impact of Covid-19 on the girl child and how the negative impact can be mitigated.”

Moses Otai, Child Fund country director addressing children during the children’s dialogue at Golden Tulip hotel in Kampala on 18th November 2021.

Otai stated that the competition was meant to foster the participation of children in their programs, encourage creativity and offer them a platform to share their opinions. The essay evaluation focused on the originality of thoughts, persuasiveness of the essay, chronology of arguments, and relatability.

During the selection, Otai revealed that out of the 53 essays they received from Children from 30 districts, two children emerged winners of the competition. They include Tracy Kisakye, 13, and Kolostica Nakabambwe, aged 18.

“Use every opportunity that you receive to ensure that you focus on your learning despite the constraints. Don’t allow to be harassed by anyone. Protect one another by ensuring that you identify the risks that concern your safety and report to the most appropriate person.” Otai said.