Over 200 Kawempe Children In Sex Trade

By Eva Nabagesera OVER 200 children between 12 and 17 years in Kawempe division are involved in commercial sex activities, a study by the Uganda Youth Development Link (UYDEL) has revealed. The first draft report also states that over 90% of the children involved in sexual activities are primary school drop outs. This was revealed at the opening of a three-day sensitisation seminar on the commercial sexual exploitation of children for the local leaders at Kyebando on Wednesday. UYDEL's Stone Mpalanyi who presented the findings to the seminar said the researchers could not establish the exact number because many of the children did not want to be identified. "Many children were afraid of being victimised because they know that society does not approve of what they do and so they refused to cooperate with us," Mpalanyi said. He said many of the children take drugs and alcohol to help them cope with their 'work' and that it was obvious that many had been exposed to HIV. Rogers Kasirye, who heads the UYDEL project, said to end such vices, it was vital to deal with poverty, through training and providing the children with life skills. He also said the housing patterns in Kawempe encouraged early sexual activities in children. Ends