WHAT IS THE PLIGHT OF CHILD MOTHERS

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Reference to the article published in New vision, Monday, June25, 2012, the number of girls getting pregnant in primary schools is shooting up and at a very fast rate. Over 50 pupils are being impregnated in Lamwo district per term. This is not something to go dancing and jubilating about. It simply means the future of our children is unpredictable which is so saddening. In 2008, there were 16 million births to mothers aged 15-19 years, representing 11% of all births worldwide. It should be noted that these girls are defiled and remain silent as their offenders threaten to kill them. What is the future of these girls? Who are their offenders? What has been done to these lawbreakers who defile these girls? All these questions remain unanswered. Community should be alert and report incidences of defilement and forced marriages to the law enforcement officers. The girl child should not be abused and the offender goes away as a free man. Parents should support the government in the implementation of the law. On several occasions parents have tried to cover up for such criminals in return for simple gifts like; sugar, salt and bread. This reduces on the law efficiency. They mind more on who is to marry their daughter rather than worrying about the health of the man who has defiled her. So as way forward parents should not negotiate with these defilers so that the law can take its course on them. According to the Penal Code Act Cap 120(1), any person who performs a sexual act with one below the age of eighteen years, commits a felony known as defilement and is on conviction liable to life imprisonment. It’s further stated in subsection (4) where the offender is a parent or relative or guardian or is infected with the Human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV) commits a felony called aggravated defilement and is, on conviction by the High Court, to suffer death. It is however questionable if all these men that get these girls pregnant are followed up and if they serve their punishment. Therefore, a girl child must be highly protected in the community. This is due to the fact that she is more vulnerable to defilement.

PUBLISHED IN THE SUNDAY VISION, 1 July, 2012


http://joyforchildren.org/plightofchildmothers.html

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