Kamuli passes ordinance to protect children

Kamuli District Local Government has, in partnership with child-centered organisations, passed the Child Protection Bill (2024).

The district LC5 chairman, Maxwell Kuwembula, said the ordinance will be used to protect children from any act of marriage and child labor in the community.

“Kamuli District in alignment with the Constitution of Uganda, the Children Act, and international conventions such as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), to which Uganda is a signatory, enacts this Local Government (Kamuli District) Child Protection Ordinance,” Mr Kuwembula said during a special council session at Kamuli Youth Centre on Tuesday.

The ordinance seeks to ensure the protection and promotion of children's rights, prevent all forms of child abuse, exploitation, and neglect, establish and empower local structures for effective child protection and ensure that children in Kamuli District have access to appropriate support services, including health, education, and legal assistance.

Kamuli District has had some of the leading cases of teenage pregnancies, defilement and child marriages vices in the country. Statistics from the District Health Information System suggest that the district recorded 28,459 teenage antenatal visits between 2018 and 2023, and 5,740 from January 2024 to-date.

Uganda Women Network (UWONET) legal officer Matilda Natukunda said the ordinance empowers local Child Protection committees, allowing them to intervene when children are found in harmful situations.

This community-driven approach, she said, is vital, as it fosters a sense of responsibility among all of us - parents, guardians, and community members alike.

“We must work together to ensure that every child is safe, educated, and nurtured. This Ordinance shall apply to all children, parents, guardians or caregivers, and all other persons responsible for childcare in the community and all institutions caring for children within the jurisdiction of Kamuli District.”

She called for stringent and punitive penalties against offenders and perpetrators.

Ms Winnie Adur, a project officer at She Leads Trailblazers Mentoring Foundation, said the Ordinance is a commitment to uphold the dignity, safety, and rights of our most vulnerable citizens.

She said: “The passing of the Kamuli Child Protection Ordinance (2024) is just the beginning and a call to action for all of us to play our part in protecting our children.”