The people who work with children in this country such as teachers, nurses, doctors, pastors, social workers and others have been warned not to keep quiet when children are being abused as they can be sentenced to five years in prison.
It has become a scandal for young children, some of whom are still studying at school, while others end up dropping out before they finish school.
The Chairperson of the Community Development Committee in Parliament, Ms Bridget Masango, called for the protection of children as it is the week of child protection. He said this year’s slogan is that we must fight to end violence against children.
“In the financial year 2022/2023, there are 43,000 cases of rape of children reported in this country. 10,590 of these are children under the age of 18. Only 4% report rape cases to the police,” he said.
He said that of the cases brought before the courts, only 8.6% of the suspects are convicted.
“In 2020, about 700 children were delivered by children from the age of 10. The law in this country mandates that people who have information about child abuse must report it to the law enforcement.”
He said those who do not do this can be arrested and sent to prison.
“Section 110 of the Children’s Act instructs teachers, nurses, doctors, religious and social workers to report if they suspect that children are being abused. However, many cases are not reported.”
He said Parliament ordered five government departments to create programs to prevent the rape of young children.
“A study supported by UNICEF revealed that children are wanted for naked pictures on social media. This is happening on Facebook and WhatsApp.”
He said they were promised money as well as gifts if they sent these pictures.
“55% of the children who receive these requests, do not report it to anyone. Those who report it, they confide in their friends rather than reporting it to adults. 1% report it to the police or social workers.”
To combat this problem, he suggested that children should be encouraged to open their mouths if they are abused.
“Strict measures are taken against those who do not report if they suspect that a child is being abused. There is also support for boys who are ignored when they are also being abused,” he said.