Cases of Violence against children in Kisoro on the rise

By Kamusime Banabasi

At least 10 cases of violence against children are reported daily at the Probation office in Kisoro district.

Kisoro district Probation officer Alex Okwaratuhe says the most cases reported include Child neglect, Abandonment, forced labor, psychological torture and defilement.

Okwaratuhe says majority of cases of child abuse remain unreported in the communities due to ignorance as well as fear of being stigmatized by other community members.

The comments come as the rest of Africa celebrates, the day of the African Child which is celebrated in remembrance of the Soweto Uprising of 1976.

On the 16^th of June 1976 in Soweto, South Africa, ten thousand black school children marched in a column more than half a mile long, protesting the poor quality of their education and demanding their right to be taught in their own language.

Hundreds of young students were shot and killed during a two week period.

Okwaratuhe called on parents to be mindful of their children by securing their future through education.

Festo Mugisha, a social worker with Porter’s Village, a children’s hospital in Kisoro Municipality says children from families with domestic violence often find themselves neglected and this forces some to run away from home to the streets.

According to Mugisha, parents have a big role to play in grooming their children and not teachers at school or the Government.

He further noted that at least six children have been admitted at Porters Village since the beginning of the year.

He notes that the minors are being treated for non- threatening conditions however he noted that mind-set change among parents is necessary to ensure their children grow up into responsible citizens

Kisoro district is set to celebrate the day of the African child jointly with World Refugee day next week on Monday 20^th June, 2022.

This year’s theme is “Eliminating Harmful Practices Affecting Children: Progress on Policy & Practice since 2013”.

Kisoro district is currently hosting over 13,000 Congolese refugees at the Nyakabande transit camp and many more others, living among Ugandan communities of Bunagana, Nyarusiza, Rukondo town council and Nyarubuye Sub Counties.

This is due to political instability caused by fighting between Government forces and M23 rebel group.