UNICEF chief wants human rights violators punished
Sep 16, 2007
GOVERNMENTS must investigate and hold accountable perpetrators of human rights violations, a senior United Nations official has said.
By Juliet Waiswa and Patrick Jaramogi
GOVERNMENTS must investigate and hold accountable perpetrators of human rights violations, a senior United Nations official has said.
Presiding over the opening of the first pre-Commonwealth children’s conference at Hotel Africana in Kampala on Wednesday, the UNICEF country representative, Keith McKenzie, said children were unable to enjoy their rights due to poverty, inequality, conflict, violence, social and political exclusion.
“The African continent accounts for 44% of the world’s infant mortality rate, with 4.6 million children dying before the age of five,†he said.
Citing figures from the International Labour Organisation, McKenzie said the majority of the world’s 27.3 million refugees were children, with 218 of them engaged in child labour.
He was also concerned that about 150 million girls under the age of 18 had been forced into sex and other forms of sexual violence.
Youth and children’s minister Rtd. Maj. James Kinobe said a Bill on child trafficking had been tabled in Parliament.
“This law will protect children involved in prostitution, homosexuality, child labour and trafficking,†he said.
GOVERNMENTS must investigate and hold accountable perpetrators of human rights violations, a senior United Nations official has said.
Presiding over the opening of the first pre-Commonwealth children’s conference at Hotel Africana in Kampala on Wednesday, the UNICEF country representative, Keith McKenzie, said children were unable to enjoy their rights due to poverty, inequality, conflict, violence, social and political exclusion.
“The African continent accounts for 44% of the world’s infant mortality rate, with 4.6 million children dying before the age of five,†he said.
Citing figures from the International Labour Organisation, McKenzie said the majority of the world’s 27.3 million refugees were children, with 218 of them engaged in child labour.
He was also concerned that about 150 million girls under the age of 18 had been forced into sex and other forms of sexual violence.
Youth and children’s minister Rtd. Maj. James Kinobe said a Bill on child trafficking had been tabled in Parliament.
“This law will protect children involved in prostitution, homosexuality, child labour and trafficking,†he said.