Uganda urged to use UNGA presidency to fight child abuses

KAMPALA

As Uganda is preparing to lead the U.N. General Assembly in September, calls are growing for the East African country to use its presidency to fight violence against children.

"They have a very significant opportunity and that means they need to lead in speaking out of the situation," Roy Anderson, Director of the Child Fund International for External Relations, told Anadolu Agency.

Ugandan Foreign Minister Sam Kutesa is set to become President of the U.N. General Assembly in September.

Anderson believes that it is imperative for Uganda to use its term as the president of the U.N. General Assembly to fight violence against children.

"The statistics are very grave," Anderson said. "If we want to create a world that's better for our children, we need to make sure that the issues of violence and exploitation are addressed."

A recent study by Child Fund Alliance in 41 countries showed that violence against children was on the rise.

The study highlighted different forms of violence against children, including punishment with heated metal rods and spoons, beating and early marriage to settle family disputes and debts.

In Africa, the study highlighted that child labor and sexual violence were the worst forms of violence against children in the continent.

Rory noted that violence against children is one of the unfinished businesses that did not make it in the 2015 Millennium Development Goals (MDG).

"This is why we need to include it in the post 2015 agenda. However, we cannot get to zero on ending extreme poverty if we do not address the issue of violence against children."

Ugandan lawmaker Alex Byarugaba, for his part, said that child trafficking remains a serious issue that needs to be addressed in Uganda.

"At one time, our girls had taken over a street in Guangzhou China, I personally witnessed it," said Byarugaba, who is also chairperson of the Parliamentary Forum on the post 2015 MDG agenda.

"They were taken there to supposedly do good jobs, only to reach there and are put on the streets. This is something we should strongly refuse to accept as a country," he said.

A global consultation has been underway to define the new international development framework to replace the MDG agenda after 2015 with only 300 days to the deadline.

The process, initiated by U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, tasked a high-level panel of 27 eminent persons co-chaired by the Prime Ministers of Indonesia and the United Kingdom and the President of Liberia to advise on the global development framework beyond 2015.

By Halima Athumani

englishnews@aa.com.tr