There was education conference with the
education stakeholders of South Rwenzori Diocese in Kasese Municipality at the
South Rwenzori youth hall in Kamaiba. This created a chance of working with
South Rwenzori Diocese education structure in prevention of Violence Against
Children and Adolescents. The Diocesan Education secretary emphasized the need
of full engagement of all stakeholders in the fight of violence against
children in both communities and schools. Parents and teachers according to the
baseline survey are the most abuser of children and adolescents followed by the
community especially the bodaboda riders. He however said it’s the parents that
sometimes fail the programs of the schools like construction of washrooms for
the girl child and to also improve pupil class ratio.
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| Rev Canon Bikanja Erick taking participants in an opening prayer during the conference. |
According
to baseline, the common forms of violence are Defilement, Denial of food,
Beating, Denial of education, Child labor, Sexual harassment, Corporal
punishment, Work that is over age, Burning, Neglect by care givers, Denial of
shelter, Denial of play, Kidnapping and child sacrifice, Verbal abuse by
parents, teachers and other care givers.
The
perpetuators are teachers as being the most abusive at 100%, followed by the
parents and then the bodaboda cyclists at 80% respectively. These were followed
by fellow children who were also reported to be violators
 |
| some participants with a report summary that was being presented by Masereka Gilbert |
The
head teacher Kabatunda Primary School shared his sad story of a child from this
school who was raped and killed. He however emphasized that the government
should put strong by-laws against such act like the sale of alcohol in shops. However, the conference the church
agreed to take on sensitization in churches. To introduce educative sermons on
parenting, family planning, guidance and counseling and also engaging the
leaders to implement by-laws. The schools agreed to take on prevention of VAC
messages at schools and their communities in meetings, drama and through clubs.
They also challenged parents to always follow up their children to schools and
create a social change because parents are failing their responsibilities.
Compiled by
GILBERT Masereka
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