VOICES OF UGANDA’S CHILDREN ECHO LOUDLY IN FIGHT FOR CHILDREN’S RIGHTS

By Precious Mupenzi

• Although children make up a sizeable portion of the Ugandan population, many face daily challenges of violence, exclusion, and limited access to quality education.
• Speaking at the Africa Children’s Summit in Johannesburg, the Ugandan delegation spoke about how many children feel unsafe in schools because of school violence.
• A 2018 survey showed that 55% of Ugandan learners had experienced physical violence, 45% emotional violence, and 12% sexual violence.

With a youthful population of approximately 22.2 million, according to the Uganda National Population and Housing Census 2024 Report, children make up a significant portion of Uganda’s demographic landscape. Yet, many of them face a daily reality riddled with violence, exclusion, and limited access to quality education.

This week, child delegates from Uganda joined their counterparts from across the continent at the Africa Children’s Summit, currently underway in Johannesburg, South Africa.

The summit, on in Johannesburg from 4 – 7 April 2025, marks a significant moment of continental dialogue around common issues.

Uganda signed and ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child in August 1990. Since then, Uganda has been submitting periodic reports to the Committee on the Rights of the Child.

Notably, the Children (Amendment) Act of 2015 introduced new protective legislation related to guardianship, inter-country adoption, and corporal punishment – areas that were not adequately addressed in the 1996 Children’s Statute.

Now in its third day, 6 April 2025, the summit has become a platform for children to reflect, learn, and voice the pressing issues affecting them in their respective countries.

Embracing cultural diversity

The day began with a celebration of cultural diversity as delegates shared information about their countries’ indigenous food and languages.

But the tone quickly shifted as discussions deepened, with children speaking passionately and candidly about the challenges they face.

Representing Uganda are four courageous child delegates: Shanitah Nassanga, Twalo Faith Precious, Zawedde Agnes Shivan, and Garison Kasajja.

They presented a sobering report on the state of children’s rights in their country, echoing concerns raised in Uganda’s 2018 Violence Against Children Survey.

“School violence is a major issue in Uganda,” said the Ugandan team in unison. “Teachers, parents, and even peers are some of the main perpetrators. Many children feel unsafe in schools.”

The Violence Against Children Survey 2018 revealed that 55% of Ugandan learners had experienced physical violence, 45% emotional violence, and 12% sexual violence. Alarmingly, 62% of physical violence cases were attributed to teachers, while 35% of sexual violence cases involved relatives.

A need for inclusive education

The delegates also raised concerns about the lack of inclusive education, particularly for children with disabilities, and the high school dropout rates, especially among girls in rural areas.

They highlighted how climate change has become a critical factor affecting the education sector, with environmental disasters disrupting learning and infrastructure.

They also expressed concerns over the deterioration in the quality of education and poor implementation of policies meant to protect and uplift children.

One voice that stood out was Nassanga (17), a child advocate from Masaka, a rural district in the southeast of Kampala, Uganda’s capital city. She shared a deeply personal story of systemic neglect and hardship.

 “I tried to meet with the minister responsible for children to share what is really happening to children in my area,” Nassanga told fellow delegates.

“Instead, I was sent to a private secretary – and I am still waiting for that appointment. This tells you how our voices are silenced.

Trying to break through barriers

“In this summit, we are learning lessons that we can emulate and implement in our own countries; however, the office barriers are the ones blocking us, and yet they are meant to advocate and amplify our voices,” Nassanga said.

“In the summits, office bearers engage us and promise meetings after the summit to fast-track issues, but what happens after is saddening because they are unreachable. We are referred to personal assistants who often tell us about the busy schedules of their meetings.

“We are learning and sharing best practices here at the summit,” she said. “But how do we implement these lessons back home if we can’t even get a simple meeting appointment with our leaders?”

Despite the challenges, Nassanga remains determined.

She spoke of children in her village who do not attend school because their families cannot afford fees – a common issue in Uganda’s rural communities where many families rely solely on subsistence farming.

“It is a privilege for girls in rural areas to go to school,” she said. “Some parents simply cannot afford the fees, which are around 100 000 shillings. And in some heart-breaking cases, parents even arrange exploitative relationships for their daughters just so the family can survive.”

Nassanga, who is supported by Unbound, a non-profit organisation that helps fund her education, added that even then, her school fees are often shared with her siblings.

Her words echoed throughout the summit, resonating with delegates and observers alike.

Madiba’s legacy

The Africa Children’s Summit, convened under the legacy of Nelson Mandela’s call to action in 1996, serves as a reminder that while progress has been made, the road to ensuring children’s rights across the continent remains long and complex.

“Each and every South African has a role to play, a specific responsibility to become part of the revolution for children,” Mandela declared during the launch of the country’s first National Plan of Action for Children in 1995.

Now, 30 years later, it is the children themselves who are stepping up to lead that revolution – despite being met with closed doors and silenced voices.