Ugandans warned against employing minors

By Oyet Okwera

The  National Council for Children (NCC) and International Day of the African Child and Youth (IDAY) have warned against employing minors.

The warning was to  parents, guardians and the local community leaders including the Police to ensure maximum protection for children especially during the festive season.

Martin Kiiza, the NCC secretary general, sounded the warning at his office in Kampala.

“It is everyone’s responsibility to protect children adding that children have fundamental rights to survival, development, protection and participation as enshrined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child which Uganda ratified.”

He observed physical violence as a widely reported problem in the communities which has negatively affected children’s ability to thrive.

Statistics indicate that defilement cases account for 7% of reported crime against children and girls have continued to face challenges of exposure to HIV infection. National statistics show that before girls reach 18 years old, 24% of them experience a pregnancy and about 30% of these girls had been married.

“These children have the right to be protected from sexual abuse, physical violence, exploitation and from being sold into marriage as a start,” said Kiiza

Reginah Namakula, the national coordinator IDAY, Uganda chapter noted that during holidays, most children are vulnerable to different forms of child abuse. Namakula said since all children will be in their homes, leaders and parents should be more vigilant especially as the year comes to an end. 

She advised parents to make children busy during holidays to stop them from becoming redundant since they may easily be exposed to crime.

IDAY and NCC’s partnership against child abuse comes at a time European Union (EU) has injected over shs8bn to fight different forms of child abuse.

Namakula said IDAY will continue applying the principles of advocating for children’s rights through regulation and education especially in theslums.

According to Anslem Wandega, executive director at African Network for the Prevention and Protection against Child Abuse and Neglect (ANPPCAN), the preliminary data from a survey on child abuse indicates that the issue of child domestic work is big. Wandega said although children have a right to survive, some of them are grappling with challenges like HIV/AIDS and others do not complete primary education cycles.

“Most children especially girls are targeted by their perpetrators during holidays and I encourage parents to be more vigilant especially in this festive season,” said Wandega