The Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) has decried parents who continuously connive with defilers of their children to kill cases. Lydia Nambuusi, a senior detective at CID headquarters at Kibul said that as a police officer who is very passionate about delivering justice for defiled children gets frustrated by parents who storm their offices pleading that the defilers be pardoned because they have reached an amicable agreement.
Nambuusi, who was speaking at a girl child summit organized by Girls Not Brides coalition said some parents report defilement cases for purposes of having bargaining power with the suspected defilers.
“For us we arrest the perpetrators, there are a lot of issues in the community. Society still sees no problem on marrying off girls, and deciding for them. You see mothers, relatives coming to plead that the defiler should be released. They say who will take care of the child,” Nambuusi said.
The summit that took place at hotel Africana was graced by the Vice President, Jessica Alupo, child rights activists, students and Members of Parliament.
In order to minimize cases of violence unleashed against children especially the girls, Nambuusi said there was need to engage the community, the religious leaders and the girls themselves. This call Nambuusi made basing on the interactions she has had with the victims of violence especially defilement.
Police said many children are defiled or even killed by criminals because they are being exposed by the parents. Nambuusi said girls are defiled while walking alone in isolated areas collecting firewood, fetching water or vending merchandise.
“When you interact with survivors you realise there is ignorance and riddance. They say I was defiled when I was going to pick fire wood. I was selling produce. We must know this is wrong and we must stop it. Girls are not defiled by strangers. They are people they know and not animals. The cultures in society and girls trekking several kilometers alone all these expose them, to criminals” Nambuusi said.
Rosette Nanyanzi, gender focal person ministry of education, said the rampant cases of teenage pregnancy and child marriage should not be treated as business as usual.
Nanyanzi said there is need to train senior women and senior male teachers in schools so that they can be able to deal with children challenges. But Nanyanzi cried of insufficient budgets for conducting such trainings in schools.
“In most cases we send our budgets for this area but its never approved. Budgets for ministries of gender, health and education are not enough. We need to train teachers from up to the village level. We work with teachers who are at the forefront,” Nanyanzi said.
Amos Ogari, Programme Officer World Vision, said there is need to look at the cultural practices that do not empower some genders especially the girl children. “We have thousands of children who have not gone back to school and many do not have psycho-social support,” Ogari said
Immaculate Nabawanuka, the KCCA probation officer for Kawempe division said sensitizing the community on child rights was still lacking. Nabawanuka said children cannot make decision and do not make choices for themselves. Therefore, parents and other stakeholders need to learn about what is bad and right for the children.
Moses Ntenga, the chairperson Girls Not Brides coaliion and executive director Joy for Children, said issues of child marriage should be elevated so that every district leadership up to top executive can be committed to ending such violence against children.
Ntenga there should be general commitment to fighting child marriages, and defilement. Prioritizing issues regarding violence against children, Ntenga believes would make everyone know its a huge problem that needs to be addressed with urgency and with whole energies.