{UAH} AGAIN THESE NUMBERS ARE SIMPLY TOO HIGH TO BE IGNORED

62,000 Ugandan Children

Defiled

By Haruna Mawa Papique

 

Just two years after Uganda amended the law on

defilement to deeply punish the child sexual offenders,

the latest report into the vice indicates up to 20,935 more

children have been defiled.

 

The figure which was released by the African Network

for the Prevention and Protection against Child Abuse

and Neglect (ANPPCAN) on June 16, 2009, shows on

average 10,000 children are reportedly defiled each year

in the country where the juvenile population constitutes

57% of the total 30m people.

 

According to ANPPCAN Uganda Chapter, a regional

NGO working to protect the children from abuse and

neglect, child sexual abuse is the most rampant form of

crime against children in Uganda. This is due to the

failure by the government to speed up the prosecutions

of the suspected offenders. Last year although the

reported defilement cases dropped by 29%, however

97.2% of the suspected offenders were not tried.

 

“It’s absurd that in the last six years a total of 61,888

children have been reportedly defiled. While the statistics

of the married children stands at 65,000 it’s equally

worrying,” ANPPCAN Uganda’s Executive Director

Deogratias Yiga, said in the press statement.

According to the police crime report for 2008, a total of

10,365 sex related crimes were registered. Defilement

cases were 8635, however out of this figure just 4,124

cases were taken to courts and only 333 (3.8%)

convictions were recorded. While rape cases also

increased from 599 cases in 2007 to 1,536 in 2008 the

state managed to proceed 241 cases to court and out of

these only 52 convicts were made.

 

This high incidence of child sexual abuse has resulted

into more children contracting HIV/AIDS, and other

sexual transmitted diseases, increased child pregnancies,

early marriages and high school drop out rates. The

statement emphasised that child sexual abuse denies

children their basic right to survival and development.

 

Practice escalates

Over the past six years, the trend has just escalated. In

2007 a total of 12,300 children were defiled, this was an

increase from 2006 where 11,923 defilement cases were

recorded. Similarly in 2005, the police force reported

7,844 defilement cases down from 13,929 in 2004 and in

2003, the vice saw 7257 children abused.

Although the amended Section (129) of the Penal Code

Act 2007 provides for a death penalty to the person found

guilty of defilement, most of the offenders have walked

free. Local NGOs say this is due to the unfriendly justice

system in the country.

 

Recently the Thematic Group, an association comprising

15 NGOs fighting against child sexual abuse and lead by

ANPPCAN Uganda concluded that most child survivors

of abuse are required to give evidence in the strange and

often intimidating court environment without prior

preparation of the child about the court proceedings. This

they argue put children in very difficult procedures to

deal with the intrusive defence lawyers and prosecutors

who are ill trained to communicate with the children.

 

Government reacts

Speaking on UBC radio, a government owned station

during a talk show on the rights of children 0n June 18 in

which ANPPCAN participated, the Minister for Children

Lt. Jessica Alupo admitted that there is a gap in the local

justice system. “This problem cuts across all sectors of

the government and needs every person’s intervention.

For instance, this court issue is handled by the Justice

Ministry, but we are collectively working to address the

children’s concerns,” She said.

 

Alupo appealed to the public to work closely with the

government and inform the authorities about any suspected

case of child abuse. She said the highest percentage of child

sexual abuse suspects are the people close to the children

citing the close relatives.

 

However, the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social

Development in Uganda which handles aspects of social

protection and child fare remains among the least funded

ministries in Uganda.

EM

On the 49^th Parallel          

                 Thé Mulindwas Communication Group
"With Yoweri Museveni, Ssabassajja and Dr. Kiiza Besigye, Uganda is in anarchy"
                    Kuungana Mulindwa Mawasiliano Kikundi
"Pamoja na Yoweri Museveni, Ssabassajja na Dk. Kiiza Besigye, Uganda ni katika machafuko"