Ugandans told to stop violence against children

There is need for Ugandans to renew commitment to end violence against children, the Deputy speaker of Parliament Jacob Oulanyah has said.

He argued that without affirmation by citizens cases of violence against children will continue to escalate.

"The question of violence against children is something we need to stop because it occurs daily and we live with it," Oulanyah said.

The Deputy speaker made remarks yesterday during the stakeholders' breakfast meeting on ending violence against children at Golf Course Hotel in Kampala.

"Our dream is to end violence against children. Let's make that dream a reality," Oulanyah stated.

He also tasked policy makers and lawmakers to put children as top priority in all areas affecting them for example education and health.

"How much do we factor in children when we are approving budgets, pass laws and policies?" he asked.

 He pointed out that 70% of the population is under 30 and half of that are children below the age of 18.

On her part the programs director of World Vision Uganda, Tinah Mukunda observed that the effects of violence against children hinders their survival, development and participation as well as robbing the country human and social capital.

Globally one billion children experience violence and the impact costs trillions of dollars and slows economic growth.

In Uganda according to education sector reviews 74% children have experienced caning by an adult.

The acts of violence include physical beating, sexual, emotional, harmful cultural practices such as child marriage and child sacrifice among others.

According to Police report of 2013, 7,805 cases of domestic violence reported to Police 755 were children and 54 of them died due to violence.

Mukunda noted that despite the existing laws on children protection, violence against children continues unabated.

She called for the implementation of the legal framework and sensitizing the public about the dangers of violence against children.

"Government action is vital. It is not enough to pass laws which outlaw child marriage, child sacrifice and female genital mutilation. Government should measure success by the number of convictions and not the number of laws passed," Mukunda told participants.