Children’s Rights

Children rights are at stake in many parts of Africa more so sub-sahara Africa and Uganda in particular.

Their is high disturbing, prevalence, abuse and violation of children’s rights in Uganda and it has brought debilitating consequences to its survivors.

These human rights abuses and violations occur in homes, communities and schools.

These human rights violation and abuse is commonly perpetrated by people who have gained children’s trust and this encompasses all types and forms of physical and emotional ill-treatment which has lead to physical or potential harm to children’s “health, survival, development or dignity.

Children in many communities in uganda therefore suffer from bullying, sexual exploitation, trafficking, child criminal exploitation and gangs, domestic abuse, emotional abuse, female genital mutilation/cutting, child neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse, non recent abuse and medical abuse and mugging (Assault and battery) among others.

Abuse and violation of children’s rights ,have had long lasting effect in children in uganda that follow them into adult hood .Though not all effects of child abuse are physical; the emotional, psychological, behavioral and cognitive effects have also brought damaging effects on many children’s self worthy, self esteem,education,future relationship and work and this has made many who are effects of abuse to cause harm to others in the future.

Many children in Uganda have suffered from the physical effects of violation and abuse of their rights  ranging from injuries, stunted growth, skin marking or scars, sexually transmitted diseases, severe brain damage or death and psychologically, abuse and violation of children’s rights have made children to have lack of trust and difficulty in forming relationship, heightened feeling of worthlessness, difficult in understanding emotions, feeling of Anxiety,depression,anger or rage feeling of numbness.

Many children have learning disabilities ,delayed intellectual development and affected academic performance.

Children have developed deviate behavior, difficulty in forming close relationships, emotional instability and heightened sexuality in children who have been sexually abused.

Corporal punishment as a common practice for parents and teachers in punishing their children and pupils has left a substantial effect on children that they cannot forgot.

Corporal punishment is the most wide spread form of human rights violation and abuse of children’s rights by teachers and parents or guardians.

The right for their respect for human dignity, right to physical integrity, right to health and education, freedom from torture, inhuman or degrading treatment and the right to development has been denied.

The use of corporal punishment has become the most widespread form of human rights violation and abuse in many communities in Uganda and this has gone on uncontrolled and has brought a negative health and behavior impacts on children such as poor mental health and cognitive development, antisocial behavior, and increased aggression.

Human rights abuse and violation of children represent therefore another step in Uganda’s resolute commitment, to fulfilling its international and regional commitment to ending human rights abuse and violation on children under such instrument such as: the convention on the rights of the child, the African charter on the rights and welfare of the child, the sustainable development goals, the children statute of Uganda and the constitution of the republic of Uganda 1995 as amended.

According to human development index for Uganda for 2021 it was 0.525 and the country was ranked of 166 out of 191.

This is an indicator on some issues interalia human rights violation and abuse for marginalized persons.

To promote and protect the rights of children as an organization, we are proposing a massive sensitization of communities and also train religious leaders, local council leaders, community development officers and probation officers on the promotion and protection of children’s rights and reporting human rights abuses and at the same time, we shall continue to provide legal Aid services to children whose rights are violated and abused.

See videos of violation of human rights foe children by parents, teachers, and quardians below.