JOY FOR CHILDREN-UGANDA

Education Education is the right of all children, as well as crucial factor facilitating the sustainable development of a nation. Girls' education has a direct impact on reducing gender discrimination and inequality in society, and has a powerful influence on child and maternal survival. Early stimulation and learning opportunities give children a head start and lay a strong foundation for the holistic development of an individual. The constitution of Uganda explicitly recognizes the right of all citizens to basic education. Subsequently policy positions such as vision 2025, the Education Sector Strategic Plan (ESSP) 2004-2015 and the Poverty Eradication Action Plan (PEAP) 2004/2005-2007/2008 recognize education as a core element of any attempt to fight poverty. The education components of national plans are consistent with the Education for all (EFA) goals, the World Fit for children targets and the Millennium Declaration and Development Goals (MDGs). Despite o

Child Headed Households This is an emerging concept and a huge challenge in the development process. These families are more evident in rural areas especially in the Sub-Saharan African resulting from the death of parents due to HIV/AIDS. After the death of parents, culturally children are left with close relative to look after them. Since HIV/AIDS has mainly affected young energetic men and women, most children are left in the hands of the aging grand parents who can not provide them with the basic necessities of life.

Child Marriages

A promise to girls: It is time we came together and took concrete action to end the grave injustice of child marriage Ela Bhatt & DESMOND TUTU Oct 11, 2012 Today is our human family's first-ever International Day of the Girl. This is a day to celebrate the fact that it is girls who will change the world; that the empowerment of girls holds the key to development and security for families, communities and societies worldwide. It also re-cognises the discrimination and violence that girls disproportionately endure - and it is especially important that one of the cruellest hardships to befall girls, child marriage, should be the UN's chosen theme for this inaugural day. The marriage of adolescent girls, sometimes to much older men, sums up much of the harm, injustice and stolen potential that afflict so many girls around the world. Ten million girls under the age of 18 are married off every year with little or no say in the matter. That's 100 million

Published in the NEW VISION, Kampala, Monday, September 24, 2012. Pg 16 .  By Caroline Sanyu Nakalyango In July, I wrote an article entitled: What is the plight of child mothers? In it, I expressed concern about the worrying number of girls getting pregnant in primary schools. According to the Ugandan Annual Crime and Traffic/Road Safety Report 2011, a total of 7,690 cases of defilement were reported in 2011. However, only 3,836 suspects were arrested and taken to court. This implies that over 50% of defilement cases were dropped. Parents negotiate with defilers of their children for bride price. It is absurd these parents value wealth and property more than their children’s health and lives. Last week, a story about a 12-year -old mother was published. It is a pity that this girl was defiled by a 24 –year-old man who in turn gave the girl’s father a cow to silence the crime. If this girl was not discovered by the community, she would either have lost he

PUBLISHED IN THE NEW VISION, MONDAY, July 2, 2012 CAROLINE SANYU NAKALYANGO JOY FOR CHILDREN UGANDA The New Vision, Thursday, June, 28, 2012 ran a story urging parents to support the Government campaign against child labour. This is evident in Kiryandongo and Masindi districts where children at primary school level are being employed as labourers on the tobacco fields. Child labour is a hindrance to children’s education as they almost become comfortable with the little wages they get from the tobacco field owners hence totally give up on Education. Often time’s children have been exposed to the labour market even as early as 13 years. Young girls are brought from the rural areas to come and work as nannies and house keepers in the city. You find a child of school going age taking care of a toddler at home. It is no news that some of these children are being sexually harassed by their employers who in turn pay them some little money for their silence. This is how some of these chi