VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN: 40% UGANDAN CHILDREN AFFECTED—UNICEF

should be done to solve the problem.
Young children between 10 and 12 years are seen on streets in Kasese
town vending cooked maize, G. nuts, pan cakes, eggs and sugar canes
among others.
An official from the district Labour office, Rabson Thembo said that
some children are engaged in heavy and risky jobs.

He told www.mknewslink.com reporter that his office together with the district probation
officer plans to round up children vending so that parents are
arrested.
However, in 2014, a similar exercise was conducted but children have
continued engaging in risky jobs.
Asuman Mwesige, the Coordinator, Kasese District Mediators
Association, a non-governmental organization dealing in child rights
related issues noted that unfortunately, some of the abuses are
inflicted by biological parents mostly under the influence of poverty,
ignorance and family background.
Isaac Bwalhuma, the Legal Assistant in-charge of Education department
at Uganda Christian Lawyers Fraternity wondered why the cases were on
rise yet the district passed the 2012 Child Labour and Recruitment
ordinance.
An officer who preferred anonymity at Kasese Child and Family
Protection unity said that such abuses affects children’s emotional
and psychological wellbeing blaming parents for ignoring their
responsibilities.
Police records show an upward curve of misfortunes the children suffer
from 8079 cases reported in 2011 to 11791 cases in 2013 and a slight
difference of 11,519 cases of child neglect in 2014, most of them from
within urban centers.
According to a study conducted by the Government and UNICEF, almost
40% of Ugandan children have suffered physical violence that has
negatively affected them