Children petition Speaker over birth registration
Oct 21, 2008
CHILDREN have asked Parliament to make the birth registration mandatory. <br>Presenting a petition to the Speaker, Edward Ssekandi, on Monday, the children said registration would address the gaps in prosecution of sexual abuse cases, including defilement.
By Godfrey Kimono
and Mary Karugaba
CHILDREN have asked Parliament to make the birth registration mandatory.
Presenting a petition to the Speaker, Edward Ssekandi, on Monday, the children said registration would address the gaps in prosecution of sexual abuse cases, including defilement.
They said the exercise would provide evidence on the age of victims and perpetrators.
Before handing over the petition signed by over 300 children and representatives of child rights groups, the children marched through the city carrying placards that called for an end to child abuse.
They demanded that Parliament review the birth and death registration Act of 1970 and enact a national birth policy.
The children asked Parliament to waiver fees paid to obtain a birth certificate. They also asked that birth certificates be provided at the district level.
Beatrice Nassanga, a student of Agakhan High School who presented the petition on behalf of the children, expressed concern that centralisation of birth registration was not effective. She added that registration at health facilities was inaccessible for most expectant mothers.
“Child sexual abuse is a gross violation of children rights. Sexual abuse and violence against children is a major threat to the wellbeing of children,†she said.
According to the Police report of 2005, 5,693 cases of defilement were reported and 22,000 children involved in commercial sex.
Ssekandi welcomed the petition, saying the birth registration law would make it easy identify the age of the victims of abuse and that of perpetrators.
Earlier, while meeting MPs from South Sudan on children’s rights, Ssekandi called for urgent attention and solutions to the problems that children face.
The group leader, James Ruot, appealed to Uganda to continue supporting Sudanese living in the country.
and Mary Karugaba
CHILDREN have asked Parliament to make the birth registration mandatory.
Presenting a petition to the Speaker, Edward Ssekandi, on Monday, the children said registration would address the gaps in prosecution of sexual abuse cases, including defilement.
They said the exercise would provide evidence on the age of victims and perpetrators.
Before handing over the petition signed by over 300 children and representatives of child rights groups, the children marched through the city carrying placards that called for an end to child abuse.
They demanded that Parliament review the birth and death registration Act of 1970 and enact a national birth policy.
The children asked Parliament to waiver fees paid to obtain a birth certificate. They also asked that birth certificates be provided at the district level.
Beatrice Nassanga, a student of Agakhan High School who presented the petition on behalf of the children, expressed concern that centralisation of birth registration was not effective. She added that registration at health facilities was inaccessible for most expectant mothers.
“Child sexual abuse is a gross violation of children rights. Sexual abuse and violence against children is a major threat to the wellbeing of children,†she said.
According to the Police report of 2005, 5,693 cases of defilement were reported and 22,000 children involved in commercial sex.
Ssekandi welcomed the petition, saying the birth registration law would make it easy identify the age of the victims of abuse and that of perpetrators.
Earlier, while meeting MPs from South Sudan on children’s rights, Ssekandi called for urgent attention and solutions to the problems that children face.
The group leader, James Ruot, appealed to Uganda to continue supporting Sudanese living in the country.