Children Tell UN To Punish Rebel Backers

By John Eremu CHILDREN have asked the UN to impose sanctions on countries that support rebel groups fighting against others. In a special session at the on-going Girls’ Education Movement (GEM) yesterday, the children also demanded that governments raise education budgets and make the curriculum and the school environment friendlier to girls. The youth, during the Young Peoples’ Parliamentary session, debated five Bills and came up with resolutions that President Yoweri Museveni is expected to present to the UN special session on children in New York next month. Museveni officially launches GEM - Africa Chapter today. The motion that the UN clamps sanctions on countries supporting rebels was moved by Yoram Siame from Youth Alive Movement -Zambia. “Conflicts and wars prevent children from going to school. I propose that the UN puts sanctions on countries that support rebels fighting other countries because when they support the rebels, they will be fuelling conflicts and blocking the process of transformation,” Siame said amid applause but named no country. Kalangala Woman MP Ruth Kavuma, a leading educationist and founder member FAWE-Uganda, moderated the session. Youth Members of Parliament Rose Namayanja and Juliet Sekitoleko contributed during the session. The debate centred on safety and security of girls in and outside school, gender in the curriculum, girls in science subjects and concerns and opportunities for girls. Joseph Tamale from Greenhill Academy Kampala challenged state minister for primary education Geraldine Bitamazire to state what steps government had taken to curb the rampant corruption in the education sector. Bitamazire said government was building the capacity of local leaders and putting in place monitoring structures to ensure education funds were not diverted. “I also encourage the public to immediately report whenever funds are being misappropriated,” she said. Later in the afternoon, the young people’s parliament continued but was closed to the press. The children later interacted with the UNICEF executive director, Carol Bellamy and FAE chief Prof Penina Mlama. Ends