Children represent another group where human rights abuse occurs largely outside the public domain,

in the private or domestic sphere. The place of children in society and in the family has changed with
time and also varies in different cultural contexts (Alston 1994). Because of this, the idea of the rights of
the child, as part of an overall understanding of human rights, is controversial. In earlier times the child
was regarded as the ‘property’ of his/her parent(s), and there was no legitimacy for others to intervene
to protect the child against physical, sexual or emotional abuse. Overtime, this view has drastically
changed, but there remains a strongly held belief that treatment of children is the responsibility of the
parent(s), and that other actors such as the state (and social workers acting on the state’s behalf ) have
little role in determining how a child shall or shall not be treated in the home.

Uganda does not rest in isolation of respecting, protecting and fulfilling of child rights. It therefore, as a
country took concern to ratify numerous international conventions including, protocols on the rights of
the child4. This has seen Uganda not much different from other countries that have embraced the rights
of the child too. Through different interventions by the government, civil society organizations and other
international development agencies, child rights have been shaped to meet the required universal
standards. Robust efforts have been met to ensure that children have access to better health,
education, nutritious diet and are protected against all sorts of sexual violence and assault. Notably, all
these have to some extent been achieved through numerous government programmes5 with
complementary support of Children’s Ngos. Carrying out civic education through dissemination of
information on TV, Radio talk shows, Social media, Conferences and Seminars has substantively been
vital especially in creating awareness to the masses about children’s obligations, parent(s) and
guardian(s) responsibilities in fulfilling child rights. Synergies have for example been realized where
different actors have collectively come together to engage in children’s rights activities. Such synergies
have enormously influenced policy advocacy and lobbying in the realm of respecting, protecting and
fulfilling child rights in the country.

Although, the government has contributed towards children’s welfare and rights, alot is left to be
desired especially at the time when policy makers are looking forward to tailor achievable development
goals and targets ahead of 2015.

VIOLATIONS OF CHILD RIGHTS IN UGANDA

Without rendering concern to respecting, protecting and fulfilling of child rights, extensive violations of
child rights shall continue on arise to live in dilemma. Whilst, drawing recommendations to promoting
child rights, there are increased case studies that implicate violations of child rights in Uganda and
chiefly the state has taken fewer or no measures at all of intervention. These include;

1.1 Child trafficking, sacrifice and denial of child rights in areas with armed conflicts.

Acts of child trafficking, amount to violations of child rights under the Convention on the Rights of the
Child (1989)6. According to the Police Report (2009), a total number of 125 suspects were linked to child
sacrifice and attempting to sell children7. Such violations disproportionately affect child rights to life,
health and education. At regional perspective, 5 million children in conflict-affected countries including
Uganda, are denied access to education and health (Save the Children, 2008)8, and this is contrary to
article 34(2) and (4) of the 1995 constitution of the Uganda. As these children face denial of such rights,
their lives are then synchronized with socio-economic and political exclusion perhaps this explains the
cyclical poverty in the country.
1.2 Child prostitution and sexual assault.

Article 34(b) of CRC states that; “state parties shall in particular take appropriate national, bilateral and
multilateral measures to prevent the exploitative use of children in prostitution and other unlawful
sexual practices”. However, majority of children continue to engage in prostitution which often
increases their risks to early pregnancies and HIV/AIDs10. Similarly, many children have been steadily
lured into vices such as homosexuality, drug trafficking and smoking. These ill-cit tendencies are
associated with negative impacts especially on the social and mental wellbeing of children. More still,
according to the 2011 Uganda Demographic Healthy Survey (UDHS), it was revealed that about 14% of
children were exposed to their first sexual encounter before the age of 15. This resulted into increased
school drop outs and early pregnancies consequently causing higher maternal and child mortality rates.

1.3 Discrimination against CWDs12.

The rights of children with disabilities are largely recognized under article 23 (1), (2) and (3) of CRC,
therein, mentally or physically disabled child should enjoy a full and decent life, and should have
effective access to education, training, health care services, rehabilitation services and preparation for
employment. In many instances, children with disabilities are not able to enjoy the mentioned rights due
to the fact that their lives are often discriminated against13 which lowers their dignity and active
participation in the community.

1.5 Children detained with adult offenders.

According to the UHRC 17(2012), Out of 790 children in the formal juvenile justice system, 135 had been
rounded up by Kampala City Council Authority (KCCA) from the streets of Kampala and taken to
Kampiringisa Rehabilitation Centre. The manner in which these children were rounded up was wanting;
and were not consulted; yet children have a right to participate in issues affecting their lives.
Additionally, the centre in which these children were taken to lacked sufficient clothing and bedding for
the children. UHRC notes that resettling and rehabilitating street children without addressing the factors
that send children to the streets is un sustainable solution in the long run. There is an urgent need to
address the causes and not symptoms. The factors that push and pull children on streets must be
addressed.

The Children’s Act, Prison Act18 and the 1995 Constitution of Uganda prohibit a remand of a child in an
adult prison, however this remains not fully achieved, as noted by UHRC (2012), that children
incarcerated with adult offenders makes them more vulnerable as it exposes them to violence, abuse
and mistreatment

1.6 Cruel treatment and torture against Children.

Continuous cruel treatment exerted to children by traditional practices such as FGM19 and torturing of
children using harmful objects such as sticks, metals and knives threaten their lives and health20 per se,
through causing physical injuries (burns, pinches, cuts, bruises and impairments). Additionally, On
November 13th2014, dubious acts went viral all-over social media, in there featured a one Jolly
Tumuhiirwe (22), a maid to an identified family in Nalya (a Kampala suburb) was seen brutalizing a one-
and-half-year-old child. Human rights activists, defenders and the public came out to condemn Jolly’s
acts. She was convicted for torture under section 41 of the Anti Torture Act and eventually sentenced to
four years in jail21. Although justice was achieved in such a case, many children out there experience
the same or more inhuman and degrading treatment, but since they are voiceless, their plight can hardly
be attended to.