Gov't to revise OVC policy to include prisoners' children

Nov 30, 2018

A survey conducted by Wells of Hope Ministries indicates that over 6,000 children of prisoners do not attend school

The Government is set to replace the Orphans and Vulnerable Children's Policy of 2006 with the National Comprehensive Children's Policy to cater for children with parents in prison.
 
Mondo Kyateka, the Commissioner Youth and Children Affairs at the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development noted that the Orphans and Vulnerable Children's Policy in its current state does not cater for children with parents in prison which calls for immediate intervention. 
 
Mondo made the remarks at Wells of Hope Junior School, located in Kyajjinja, Semuto in Nakaseke District during a visit on Monday. The non-government organisation caters for children with parents in prison.
 
"I commend Wells of Hope for bringing hope to the children of the incarcerated because a child is a child, therefore, when the father or mother commits a crime, the kid is not part of the crime. For that reason, the child should not be equally punished or left unattended to," Mondo said.

 Inmates at Luzira  Women's Prison serve their children a meal during one of their visits to the  detention facility recently

Mondo, however, could not readily establish the statistics of children with at least a parent in prison but said it's an area that needs to be explored to find out, how many they are. 
 
"Often times, it's the fathers who commit crimes leading to their incarceration, and so often the mother is dependent on the father as a breadwinner. And once the father is out of the equation, then there is a problem," Mondo observed.
 
"Which is why Government is revising the OVC policy and one of the target groups we are looking at in the policy and action plan are children with at least a parent in prison, its ability to reflect on how to look after these kids, redeem them and provide them with services. And one of the things we have done in the area of Education is to ensure there is Universal Primary Education, Universal Secondary Education to ensure the children go to school without having to pay school fees as well as provide other basic requirements, a gap we want to fill."
 
He said the policy is comprehensive in terms of income support and how to strengthen household income for different families. He noted that when people are self-sustaining, even when one is incarcerated and there is a gap felt, the remaining person is capable of looking after the children.
 
Mondo, however, cautioned parents against producing children out of competition, but proper planning.
 
"It is important for people to think about how capable they are. Before you think of producing, think about your economic status in terms of looking after an extra child."
 
Citing cases where a husband and his wife have ten children, he said it would be a task for them to look after these kids, but if they had two or three, its possible that they will be able to handle.
 

 A  girl bids her father farewell after visiting him in prison. PHOTO: Petride Mudoola 

A survey conducted by Wells of Hope Ministries indicates that over 6,000 children of prisoners do not attend school despite the Government's effort towards implementing education for all children programs.
 
Ellen Eva Ssubi, the Executive Director Wells of Hope Ministries commended the Government for implementation UPE and USE programs, however, the majority of the children of prisoners have not benefited from these programs.
 
"Little is known about the number of children left behind or what could be done to help them.  Punishment in the Criminal Justice System has traditionally been focused against the offender, with little regard to its wider effects on the offender's family and children," Ssubi pointed out.
 
She said children of prisoners remain an overlooked group in our society.
 
Ssubi appealed the Government to recognise children whose parents are incarcerated. She urged the government to enact laws that address these children's rights.
 
With a population of 142 children with at least a parent in prison, Wells of Hope Ministries accommodates 91 pupils in Junior School, 37 in High School, Makerere High School Migade has 8, while 6 enrolled for vocational training.  The children range between 4-19 years.
 

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});